For the upcoming World Cup, Russia has stadiums with a minimum capacity of 40,000 spectators, and the stadium hosting the opening and final matches has a capacity of 80,000.
In any case, capacity isn't the only factor that matters. Issues related to safety, acoustics, comfort, and media coverage are essential when building or renovating a World Cup stadium.
Maya Suárez, an architect with a master’s degree in Architectural Design and an instructor in the Architectural Design course at theSchool of Architecture at Universidad ORT Uruguay; and Emiliano Rodríguez, a graduate and instructor in the Approaches and Issues in Architecture course at the same school, analyzed four of the 12 stadiums for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The Ekaterinburg Arena, Rostov Arena, and Cosmos Arena are the venues where the Uruguayan national team will play its group stage matches, while Luzhniki Olympic Stadium will host the tournament’s final.
Yekaterinburg Arena
Uruguay will make its debut at Russia 2018 against Egypt in the city of Yekaterinburg, at the stadium built in 1953 for the World Speed Skating Championships. Its original capacity was 27,000 seats, but FIFA required a minimum of 35,000, so it was expanded. Today it is home to one of the country’s oldest soccer clubs, FC Ural.
A strange architectural design that induces vertigo and offers poor visibility
Maya Suárez: “That project focused on preserving the architectural heritage and collective memory of a building that has hosted numerous sporting events. That’s why the new bleachers were placed atop the existing structure, and to reach the required capacity, a section of them was installed on temporary scaffolding extending beyond the perimeter of the base.
The proposal, though risky, seeks to preserve the city’s historical values and offers spectators who aren’t afraid of heights a beautiful view of the surroundings.”
Emiliano Rodríguez: “Described by the press as the strangest stadium, its main entrance still features the historicist-style base characteristic of the original structure, from which rise the monumental metal-framed stands that were added to increase its capacity. The entire complex was clad in perforated metal in a failed attempt to give the composition a sense of unity.”
The most striking feature of this stadium is its massive side stands—which are still supported by scaffolding due to construction delays—that extend beyond the stadium’s perimeter. Their slope and height are such that they reach the level of the cantilevered roof, raising questions about visibility.
"It was designed with strict functionality in mind. Fortunately, these stands are intended to be dismantled once the World Cup is over, which will reduce the stadium's capacity to 23,000 spectators but improve its aesthetics and cohesion."
Rostov Arena
Uruguay will play its second World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in the city of Rostov-on-Don, 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The stadium, designed by the architectural firm Populus, has capacity of 45,000 spectators and is one of the most technologically advanced. It is the first major structure to be built on the south bank of the Don River, as the city is located north of the river.
A new hub and economic driver for the city
Maya Suárez: “More than just a stadium, it is a place-making project, an urban initiative aimed at creating a new downtown hub by integrating various commercial, cultural, and sporting attractions, so that investors and real estate developers see this site as an opportunity for the city’s expansion. The building, rather than merely a landmark in the landscape, is perhaps its first settler.”
Emiliano Rodríguez: “Rostov Arena—which, during its excavation, revealed World War II ammunition—rises from a concrete foundation upon which the stands, made of the same material, rest. The complex is covered by a large metal lattice structure that supports the large panels of tensioned canvas, similar to those used at our Carrasco International Airport. The final result has a great sense of lightness and fluidity, which complements the river alongside which it is located.
"This stadium was built with the aim of creating a new economic hub and driving force for the city, and as such, it is part of a major urban development project involving investments from the hospitality, retail, and government sectors."
Cosmos Arena
The city of Samara is home to the Cosmos Arena, a $360 million stadium built by the multinational company GMP for the World Cup. It has a capacity of 60,000 seats, making it one of the largest venues of the event.
A stadium out of this world
Maya Suárez: “The building’s appearance is somewhat unconventional, as it is a light-gray, semi-spherical dome with a nearly uniform texture. It stands in an austere, desolate, almost lunar setting that turns white during winter snowfalls, causing the unique structure to blend into the landscape.”
"The inspiration for this design lies in the history of the city that is home to it, because Samara played a pivotal role in the development of the Russian space industry. That is why the stadium looks like a space station."
Emiliano Rodríguez: “Cosmos Arena, as its name suggests, pays tribute through its design to Samara’s long aerospace tradition.”
The most distinctive feature of this stadium is its roof, which spans 76,000 square meters. Constructed entirely of metal—weighing 13,000 tons and assembled from prefabricated modules—the roof resembles the shape of a star. However, despite its cosmic inspiration and the use of cutting-edge technology, the final result has a futuristic aesthetic reminiscent of the last century.
"The design of this stadium follows in the footsteps of several other stadiums built by the Russians, which draw on the symbolism of their history and embody a nostalgia inherent to the nation."
Luzhniki Olympic Stadium
The 2018 World Cup final in Russia will be played at Luzhniki Olympic Stadium, formerly known as Lenin Central Stadium. Located in Moscow, the stadium holds great symbolic significance, as it served as the main venue for the 1980 Olympic Games and stands as a true representation of the architecture of the former Soviet Union. It has a capacity of 81,300 spectators.
A legacy of sports, culture, and architecture
Maya Suárez: “It is the most important stadium in the country and one of the most renowned in the world. It is part of the nation’s sporting, cultural, and architectural heritage. That is why the two renovations carried out sought, to a large extent, to preserve the building’s appearance and its distinctive façade, dominated by the load-bearing structure, which remains intact.”
"The building exceeded the demands of the modern era, making it a lesson in respect for our heritage."
Emiliano Rodríguez: “Its monumental structure stands out against the low-lying meadows (in Russian, ‘Luzhniki’) along the bend of the Moskva River.”
It was completely renovated to transform it from an athletics stadium into a World Cup venue. The new concrete bleachers have been moved closer to the field, allowing for an increase in capacity and an expansion inward, thanks to its imposing metal truss roof.
Its façade, featuring colossal columns, has been preserved almost intact, thus retaining the austere neoclassical lines characteristic of the Soviet style. This appearance, combined with a gigantic statue of Lenin at the main entrance, the river, the park, and one of Stalin’s skyscrapers in the background, forms the symbolic setting of the Luzhniki.