Russia’s star athletes have won major accolades around the world of sports for decades, with the nation being noted as one of the best in many competitions. Ice hockey and boxing are among the most notable at present, with the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nikita Kucherov among hockey’s finest, and Artur Beterbiev, Dmitry Bivol, Sergey Kovalev, and Alexander Povetkin being dominant forces in boxing.
However, much like most other European nations, Russia is also a huge fan of soccer, with football being among the most popular sports in the nation. The sport has always been popular, but in 2018, the level of fandom stepped up another notch, or ten, with the country hosting the FIFA World Cup.
As a result, many people now see Russia’s soccer stadiums as must-view attractions, with several of the best featuring prominently in the massively televised event. If you’re one such soccer enthusiast, these are the most exquisite and historic soccer stadiums in Russia for you to visit.
Luzhniki Stadium
Naturally, one of the first locations on the to-do list will be the biggest of them all: Luzhniki Stadium. Located in Moscow, and formerly known as the Central Lenin Stadium, it’s currently the home of the Russian national team. Having housed the city’s biggest domestic clubs in the past – CSKA Moscow and Spartak Moscow – the stadium is now exclusively for international events, particularly during the nation’s first-ever hosting of the World Cup.
With experience as the host of grand events, including the 1999 and 2008 Champions League finals, the 81,000-seater witnessed seven World Cup matches. Among these seven games included Russia’s 5-0 opening match triumph over Saudi Arabia, Mexico’s against-all-odds win against Germany, Russia’s win over Spain in the last-16, Croatia’s extra-time defeat of England in the semi-finals, and the emphatic 4-2 final between France and Croatia.
Krestovsky Stadium
Founded 19 years ago, the Russian Premier Liga is the pinnacle of domestic football in the country, seeing teams compete to stave off relegation as well as qualify for European competitions. As such, the home of the champions makes its way onto the list of soccer stadiums to see. Initially, Spartak Moscow were the dominant force, winning nine of the first ten editions. Next, it was mostly between CSKA Moscow and Rubin Kazan, but now there’s a new force to be reckoned with.
They won their first league titles in 2007, 2010, and 2011, but in the last six seasons, Zenit Saint Petersburg have won three times. Furthermore, at 1.67 with the football betting site, while CSKA are at 3.50 and Spartak land on 5.00, the experts are backing Zenit to claim their third consecutive crown. This would further the must-see appeal of the superb 46,000-seat Krestovsky Stadium – the home of the Lvy.
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
The Nizhny Novgorod Stadium was built specifically for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, so while it doesn’t boast lengthy record books, its history does begin as a host of the biggest tournament in the sport. If for nothing else, the ₽17.9 billion offers stunning views – both of the Roman Colosseum-esque stadium and the confluence of the Volga and Oka river.
If you’re looking to visit some of Russia’s soccer havens, the home of the national team, the stomping ground of the reigning champions, and the superb Nizhny Novgorod Stadium have to be at the top of your list.
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