All 11 host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup are waiting for their guests. During the World Cup, fans and volunteers will be able to make use of Nizhny Novgorod's public transportation free of charge. Shuttle buses will run between sports venues, while riverboats offer Oka and Volga River cruises.
Leonid Muraviev had a chance to check out the city's new look ahead of the international tournament.
The largest team of the 2018 World Cup volunteers is in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, also called "Russia's Pocket", which has almost 3,000 of them. They're all looking forward to meeting with FIFA fans and showing them all of the local attractions.
Uruguay's soccer team will be staying amidst a picturesque birch grove on the bank of the Volga River. This South American team will compete against Russia in Group A. But the players can expect a warm reception at the Borsky sports facility. Here they can enjoy the benefits of a large hotel complex, two practice fields, a spa center, and gym.
Alyona Lapyshova, Borsky Sports Complex manager: "We offer 71 standard rooms and 4 luxury suites".
Uruguay's team will arrive at the new Strigino Airport terminal in just a few days. You can now get from the airport to downtown quickly and comfortably. The new highway is 4.5 miles long. At the city's train station, a large globe and soccer ball featuring a Khokhloma design was installed. A smaller version of it is available as a souvenir. The elaborate 2018 World Cup emblem fits well with the Khokhloma design. There's a soccer ball, and the writing says "Russia 2018". Semenovskaya Fabrika artists worked tirelessly to create over 200,000 official souvenirs, all painted by hand. Evidently, Matryoshkas are in high demand. Over one million FIFA fans from all over the world will be visiting Russia.
Marina Lapshina, hotel employee: "Our hotel will be hosting the Argentinian team. That's why our entire staff has been studying Spanish".
Whichever route the fans use to come to the stadium, they'll wind up at the new Strelka metro station. It was built directly underneath the stadium, so getting from the platform even to the farthest point of the grandstand will take no more than 10 minutes.
The new, 45,000-seat Nizhny Novgorod Stadium boasts an impressive size and a beautiful look. 88 white columns hold up the blue roof of the arena, like Titans holding up the sky. Inside, the stands are like waves rising above an island, represented by the soccer field. The venue has already hosted three test matches and is ready for another six FIFA World Cup games, including matches between Sweden and South Korea, England and Panama, and Switzerland and Costa Rica, and the highly anticipated game between Argentina and Croatia, where FIFA fans will have a chance to see…
Nizhny Novgorod will also host one round of the top-16 bracket, and one quarter-final.
Dmitri Cheryshev, ambassador to FIFA and Russian soccer team forward 1994-1998: "There's no track here, so fans will be sitting very close to the field, which makes it even more fun to root for your favorite team".
The new stadium was built at the confluence of the Volga and Oka Rivers. During the World Cup, riverboats will be particularly popular. Many tours have already been arranged, since the best view of Nizhny Novgorod is from the water.
Leonid Muraviov, Anton Kalmykov, Igor Sinyurin, and Yulia Mironova, Vesti, Nizhny Novgorod.
