- Title: Russia's Volgograd shows off new stadium built for World Cup
- Date: 22nd August 2017
- Summary: VOLGOGRAD, RUSSIA (AUGUST 22, 2017) (REUTERS) THE MOTHERLAND CALLS MONUMENT AND CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS AT MAMAYEV KURGAN SEEN THROUGH PART OF STADIUM UNDER CONSTRUCTION VIEW OF MONUMENT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WALKING PAST STADIUM, MONUMENT SEEN IN BACKGROUND TOP VIEW OF STADIUM STADIUM PITCH UNDER CONSTRUCTION VARIOUS OF CONSTRUCTION WORKS IN PROGRESS MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) VOLGOGRAD GOVERNOR, ANDREI BOCHAROV, SAYING: "For us it is an additional opportunity for development. Today we already understand...we are considering the experiences of other European countries as well as Russia, including (the cities of) Moscow and Kazan, on how we use our stadiums in the future. And it does not frighten us but makes us happy that our stadium has a capacity of 45,000 people. The football tradition in Volgograd is very strong." VOLGOGRAD, RUSSIA (AUGUST 21, 2017) (REUTERS) POLICE OFFICERS WALKING PAST SIGN READING 'RUSSIA 2018' VIEW OF MONUMENT SIGN, READING (Russian): 'VOLGOGRAD' VOLGOGRAD HOST CITY EMBLEM (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) TOURIST FROM KRASNOYARSK, IRINA, SAYING: "It (the 2018 World Cup) will make Volgograd look, which is already perfect, even better. It will attract investments and the hero city (a Soviet honorary title awarded to Volgograd for acts of outstanding heroism during World War II) will also become a city that's welcoming when it hosts the FIFA World Cup." (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) VOLGOGRAD RESIDENT, ANASTASIYA, SAYING: "I expect more tension, very strong tension. There will be a lot of people, traffic jams and all of that. I do not know but I really don't like this idea." VARIOUS OF VOLGOGRAD HOST CITY EMBLEM IN FRONT OF CONSTRUCTION SITE PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF PARK VOLGOGRAD HOST CITY EMBLEM AND PICTURE OF WORLD CUP MASCOT ZABIVAKA WOMEN WALKING UP STAIRS DESIGN OF THE ORDER OF LENIN ON BUILDING VARIOUS OF STADIUM AND CONSTRUCTION CRANES SEEN ACROSS RIVER RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS THE MOTHERLAND CALLS MONUMENT SEEN NEXT TO STADIUM STADIUM AND MONUMENT SEEN ACROSS RIVER
- Embargoed: 5th September 2017 13:52
- Keywords: Russia World Cup Volgograd stadium host city prepares for 2018 FIFA World Cup
- Location: VOLGOGRAD, RUSSIA
- City: VOLGOGRAD, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Sport,World Cup
- Reuters ID: LVA0016V8NBY7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Russian city of Volgograd, 940 kilometres south-east of Moscow, is getting ready to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup with a new 45,000-seater stadium being built on the bank of Volga river.
The city - formerly known as Stalingrad - will host four group stage games next June. The city airport as well as hotels, roads and even a beach are expected to be renewed ahead of the major sporting event.
Workers and construction equipment were seen at Volgograd Arena at the foot of the Mamayev Kurgan World War Two memorial on Tuesday (August 22).
The governor of Volgograd Andrei Bocharov said the city has a strong soccer tradition and he's happy to see the new stadium being built.
After the World Cup, Volgograd Arena is expected to serve as the home stadium for FC Rotor Volgograd who play in the Russia's second division.
The new stadium in Volgograd is one of 12 venues that will host World Cup matches between June 14 and July 15 next year.
The other 10 World Cup host cities are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg, Saransk, Kaliningrad. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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