Central Stadium (Yekaterinburg)

The Ekaterinburg Arena, officially Central Stadium, is a football stadium in the city of Yekaterinburg in Russia. It is the home ground of Russian Premier League and the country's oldest football club FC Ural Yekaterinburg.[2] The capacity of the stadium is just over 35,000, and might be reduced to 25,000 after the 2023 Summer Universiade.[3] It is one of 12 venues in 11 host cities for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[4] The stadium is the easternmost among the 2018 World Cup venues.

Central Stadium
Full nameCentral Stadium
LocationUlitsa Repina 5, Yekaterinburg, Russia
Coordinates56°49′57″N 60°34′25″E
OperatorFC Ural Yekaterinburg
Capacity35,061[1]
Field size105 by 68 m (344 by 223 ft)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Built1957
Renovated2006–2011
2014–2017
Tenants
FC Ural Yekaterinburg (1957–present)

History
Stadium before the 2017 reconstruction
Velodrome in the outskirts of Yekaterinburg, 1913
Tennis courts for the velodrome, 1913
Honouring Nikolay Durakov

Central Stadium was built in 1957.[5] Earlier on this territory of the city also was a sports facilities: from 1900 - the Velodrome sponsored by merchant Kamaletdin Agafurov,[6] from 1928 - Regional Stadium, and from 1936 - the stadium "Metallurg of the East".[7] Following the demolition and reconstruction of the stadium in the 1950s due to Fire safety regulations, the new stadium called "Central" was opened in 1957. The stadium was listed in the Top Ten list of sports facilities in the Soviet Union.[6] The Stadium has hosted thousands of sports and entertainment events. In the first years after its opening, the stadium has become one of the world most important arenas of speed skating. In 1959 it held the World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women, as well as the 1958, 1962, 1964, and 1966 championships of the USSR (with multiple world records made),[8] and in the 1964-73 period many matches between strongest national speed skating teams of the world (Soviet Union, Norway, Sweden and Finland). Approximately during the time when SKA-Sverdlovsk was one of the best club teams in the world.[8] The stadium hosts 1962, 1966, 1974 and 1978 Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR (contemporaneously these competitions were USSR championships) and other Russian and international competitions.[6]

In 2004 the Stadium became a public company - JSC "Central Stadium" (in 2010 the shareholders - Sverdlovsk Oblast Ministry of assets - 25% plus 1 share, Administration of City Ekaterinburg - 25% plus 1 share, and of JSC "Sinara Group" - 50% minus 2 shares). From September 2006 to 2011, it completed a first large-scale stadium reconstruction. In 2015–17 completed another large-scale reconstruction.

In May 2012 Central Stadium hosted the final match of the Russian Cup. The football match between Dynamo Moscow and FC Rubin Kazan was attended by 26,700 spectators.[6] In May 2013 Central Stadium participated in the international action “Night of Museums”.[9]

Reconstruction

The capacity of the arena after the reconstruction was planned to be 35,000 spectators. The stadium will provide three types of seats, including special places for people with disabilities and sectors for the fans. In the east and west stands 30% of seats will be placed under a canopy. Security systems, surveillance, telecommunications, video feed and audio experience enable high levels of service and safety to the stadium.

The kernel of the stadium will bring together a football field with natural turf size 105x68 m and an athletic complex, consisting of eight racetracks, areas for long jump, triple jump and shot put. Grand Sports Arena (BSA) will conform to international standards of FIFA and UEFA, the Russian Athletics Federation, as well as international agencies, cultural events and concerts. Under the stands will be places for sports facilities, accommodation for athletes, judges, medical teams and complexes catering. Near the sports center area will be parking and flat sporting facilities: a football field with artificial turf, and tennis courts.

Renovation for FIFA World Cup

As the stadium was chosen as one of the venues of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, temporary stands extending outside the original perimeter of the stadium were erected so as to comply with the FIFA requirement of seatings for 35,000 spectators.[10] The temporary seating also protects the historical façade of the monument of Stalinist neoclassicism. Following its removal seating was reduced to 36,000 seats.[11][12] In addition, it was planned to equip 8 booths for sports commentators on radio and television, and there will be a press center to provide room for journalists who cover the course of sporting events. The arena has artificially heated turf and artificial irrigation.

In the stadium, it is planned to build a fitness center[13] (2500–3000 m2)and Valeological center (1500 m2), which will be an organized system of fast-food outlets to serve the audience, and there will also be a restaurant with 200-300 seats.

It will develop the modern system of access to the stadium, providing security and evacuation systems that meet international requirements. Additionally, a hotel will be built. Near the stadium will be a parking lot with 3200 spaces.

In November 2010, the construction of reinforced concrete structures of two additional grandstands - the south and north - was finalized. Roofing work is finalized and closed the thermal path to the east and west stands. Work on the landscaping included lawns decorated, organized and paved parking for special mobile TV stations and specialized in the sports complex and complete reconstruction of the stadium's outer fence, which has retained its historic appearance. Preparatory work for the installation of spectator seating was also conducted.[14] Stable funding to finish the stadium was provided in the summer of 2011. In October 2015 began another full reconstruction of the stadium.[15][2]

For the World Cup the stadium had a capacity of 35,696 spectators, 12,000 of which are temporary seating. After the World Cup, these 12,000 seats might be removed, resulting in a capacity of around 23,000. But as of Jan. 2021, the temporary stands still haven't been demolished yet.[16] The temporary stands attracted international attention because of its "dangerous" appearance, extending out from the outer facade.[17]

Following its reconstruction, the first match was played on April 1, 2018 between home football club Ural and Rubin FC from Kazan.[2]

2018 FIFA World Cup
Date Time Team #1 Result Team #2 Round Attendance
15 June 201817:00 YEKT (UTC+5) Egypt0–1 UruguayGroup A27,015[18]
21 June 201820:00 YEKT (UTC+5) France1–0 PeruGroup C32,789[19]
24 June 201820:00 YEKT (UTC+5) Japan2–2 SenegalGroup H32,572[20]
27 June 201819:00 YEKT (UTC+5) Mexico0–3 SwedenGroup F33,061[21]

Services

The following services are available to fans visiting the stadium:

  • Navigation and information support from volunteers.
  • Information (children registration point, stroller storage, lost and found office).
  • Storage room.
  • Audio descriptive commentary for fans who are blind or visually impaired.

Seating options include non-standard seats for plus-size spectators. The stadium stands include special observation area for people with disabilities, which offers space for wheelchairs and accompanying persons.

Conditions for spectators with disabilities

The stadium has a specially designed sector for people with disabilities. The seats in the sector are covered by the canopy and separated from other seats by handrails and glass. All seats are adapted for wheelchair users: they stand at a distance of one and a half meter from one another.

Security

Security of fans, athletes and staff is ensured by a ticket/pass entry system and a set of counter-terrorism measures. The arena is equipped with CROC systems and systems for engineering system and structural health monitoring (SMIS and SMIK). They provide a 24-hour dispatch service with real-time data about the facility.[22]

References
  1. "Ekaterinburg Arena". FIFA. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  2. "FIFA experts satisfied with Yekaterinburg Arena's readiness for 2018 World Cup matches". tass.com. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  3. http://vedomosti-ural.ru/news/74691/
  4. FIFA.com. "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ - News - 2018 FIFA World Cup™ to be played in 11 Host Cities - FIFA.com".
  5. "Outer space: the Russia World Cup stadium with a novel seating extension". theguardian.com. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  6. "From the "Stadium Central" before "Ekaterinburg Arena"". ekaterinburg-2018.ru. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  7. "Ekaterinburg Arena: FC Ural". football-stadiums.co.uk. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  8. Sverdlovsk sports. - Sverdlovsk: Central Ural Publishing House, 1978.
  9. "На Центральном стадионе откроется Музей истории спорта". 66.ru. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  10. "Outer space: the Russia World Cup stadium with a novel seating extension". The Guardian. 4 October 2017.
  11. "Yekaterinburg's controversial Central Stadium opens its gates". futbolgrad.com. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  12. "Playing with the past: reading the complex history of Yekaterinburg in its World Cup stadium". calvertjournal.com. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  13. "Kind of different Ekaterinburg Central Stadium". moresports.network. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  14. at the Central Stadium in Yekaterinburg finalized for construction of reinforced concrete structures of two additional grandstands Archived 30 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  15. "Tsentralnyi Stadion (Ekaterinburg Arena)". stadiumdb.com/. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  16. "Construction: Tsentralnyj Stadion Yekaterinburg – StadiumDB.com". stadiumdb.com.
  17. Macphail, Cameron (24 June 2018). "Ekaterinburg Arena: The crazy Russia World Cup 2018 stadium where you pay to sit outside to watch the football". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  18. "Match report – Group A – Egypt - Uruguay" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  19. "Match report – Group C – France - Peru" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  20. "Match report – Group H – Japan - Senegal" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  21. "Match report – Group F – Mexico - Sweden" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  22. "Первый пошел: инфраструктура "Екатеринбург Арены" полностью готова к ЧМ-2018 – ВЕДОМОСТИ". www.vedomosti.ru. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
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