Krestovsky Stadium facts for kids
59°58′22.8″N 30°13′13.8″E / 59.973000°N 30.220500°E
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| Location | Futbol'naya Alleya 1, Saint Petersburg, Russia |
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| Public transit |  Nevsko–Vasileostrovskaya Line
Zenit Station |
| Owner | Saint Petersburg City Administration |
| Operator | FC Zenit Saint Petersburg |
| Capacity | 67,800 64,468 (2018 FIFA World Cup) 80,000 (concerts) |
| Record attendance | 71,381 (Channel One Cup, Russia v. Finland, 16 December 2018) |
| Field size | 105 x 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | Late 2008 |
| Built | 29 December 2016 (commissioning) |
| Opened | 22 April 2017 |
| Construction cost | ₽ 43 billion € 597 million $ 660 million |
| Architect | Kisho Kurokawa |
| Project manager | КБ ВиПС (KB ViPS) (https://kbvips.ru/) |
| Tenants | |
| FC Zenit St. Petersburg (2017–present) Russia national football team (selected matches)
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The Krestovsky Stadium, also known as Gazprom Arena, is a super cool sports stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It has a special roof that can open and close, and even the grass field can move! This amazing stadium is the home field for the Zenit St. Petersburg football team. It first opened in 2017 for a big football event called the FIFA Confederations Cup.
When major international tournaments happen, like the 2018 FIFA World Cup or UEFA Euro 2020, the stadium is called Saint Petersburg Stadium. It's a really important place for sports in Russia!
Contents
Building a Modern Stadium
This stadium was built to host games for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Many architects shared their ideas, but the winning design was by Kisho Kurokawa. He called his design "The Spaceship" because it looks so futuristic! The stadium's design is a bigger, updated version of the Toyota Stadium in Japan.
The Krestovsky Stadium stands where an older stadium, the Kirov Stadium, used to be. When it was first planned, it could hold about 56,196 people. But for the World Cup, they made it even bigger, so it could fit 68,000 fans! It also has 104 fancy private boxes for special guests.
Planning for the stadium started in 2005, and construction began in late 2008. At first, a company called Gazprom was going to pay for it. But later, the city government of St. Petersburg took over the funding. Before it got its official name, people called it Zenit Arena, Gazprom Arena, or Piter Arena.
The construction had some challenges. There were reports of strong winds damaging parts of the roof in 2016. But a new construction company, Metrostroy, finished the work. The stadium was finally completed in April 2017. It cost about 24 billion Russian rubles to build.
The very first official football match at the stadium was on April 22, 2017. It was a game between FC Zenit Saint Petersburg and FC Ural. A player named Branislav Ivanović scored the first goal in the stadium's history!
Hosting Big Football Events
The Krestovsky Stadium has been a host for many exciting football tournaments.
FIFA Confederations Cup 2017
The stadium hosted four matches during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. This included the opening game where host team Russia played against New Zealand. It also hosted the final match of the tournament on July 2, 2017, between Chile and Germany. This final game had the most fans of any match in the tournament!
FIFA World Cup 2018
Saint Petersburg Stadium was a very important venue for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. It hosted seven matches, including group stage games, a Round of 16 match, and even a semi-final! Many famous teams played here, like Russia, Brazil, France, and Belgium.
UEFA Euro 2020
In 2014, UEFA chose the stadium to host four matches for UEFA Euro 2020. Later, in 2021, it was given three more group stage matches. This was because another city could not host its games. So, the stadium ended up hosting seven matches for this big European tournament.
UEFA Champions League Matches
The stadium has also hosted many exciting UEFA Champions League matches. FC Zenit Saint Petersburg played several group stage games here against top European clubs. The stadium was even supposed to host the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final. However, due to certain events, the final match was moved to a different stadium in Paris.
UEFA Europa League Matches
FC Zenit Saint Petersburg has also played many UEFA Europa League matches at the stadium. These games included qualifying rounds, group stage matches, and knockout stage games against teams from all over Europe.
More Than Just Football
The Krestovsky Stadium isn't just for football! On December 16, 2018, it hosted a huge ice hockey game between Russia and Finland. An amazing 71,381 people came to watch, setting a new record for attendance at an ice hockey game in Russia and for the stadium itself! The stadium has also hosted concerts, like the one by the band Rammstein in 2019.
Making the Stadium Accessible for Everyone
The stadium is designed to be welcoming for all visitors. It has 560 special seats for people with disabilities. Out of these, 266 seats are specifically for people using wheelchairs. The stadium also has special entrances, elevators, and ramps. These features make it easy for everyone to move around and enjoy the events.
Keeping Everyone Safe
Safety is a top priority at the Krestovsky Stadium. It has a very advanced video system that watches everything. This system helps to identify anyone who might cause trouble. It also makes sure that only people who are allowed to enter can get in. This helps to keep everyone safe and happy during games and concerts.
Images for kids
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The stadium during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup Final
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Krestovski para niños
