Spartak Stadium (Otkritie Arena). Spartak stadium from the point of view of a fan Stadium opening arena location of the stands
Otkritie Arena, or as it is also called Spartak Stadium, is the home stadium of the Spartak football club (Moscow). The stadium's capacity is 45,360 people. Included in the list of venues that will host matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The stadium is a sports complex consisting of a football field with stands with a capacity of 45,000 people with the possibility of expanding to 46 thousand during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Story
The legendary football club Spartak never had its own stadium. Since the creation of the club in 1935, the team and fans have played all matches “away”, checking in at Luzhniki, Dynamo, Olimpiysky, Lokomotiv and Torpedo (Eduard Streltsov Stadium).
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the football club made repeated attempts to build its own stadium. For this purpose, two sites were considered in the area of the Botanical Garden, then a plot of land at the intersection of Michurinsky Prospekt with Lobachevsky Street.
However, only the fourth attempt was successful, when in 2006 it was decided to build a stadium in the area of the former Tushinsky airfield at the address: Volokolamskoye Highway, 67. This is very symbolic, since it was in this sector of Moscow on April 18, 1922 that a group of sports enthusiasts from the Krasnaya Presnya district was The MKS football club (Moscow Sports Club of the Krasnopresnensky District) was created - the predecessor of Spartak.
The ceremony of laying the first stone of the Spartak stadium took place on June 2, 2007. However, construction work was postponed until May 2011 due to the global economic crisis.
The opening match at the home arena, which took place on July 24, 2014, was a real treat for fans of the “red-white” football team. And one of the main events in the life of the stadium will be the 2018 FIFA World Cup games, which, according to the plans of the International Football Federation (FIFA), should be held, among other things, at Spartak.
Design
The author of the stadium project is the American company AECOM (it also participates in the creation of the VTB Arena at Dynamo and designs a television center for NTV), and the design of the stadium was invented by the English bureau Dexter Moren Associates (most often they build expensive hotels). After the arena under construction was included in the number of venues that will host matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, minor changes were made to the project in order for the stadium to meet FIFA requirements.
The façade of the stadium will be framed by glass mini-blocks with a built-in lighting system. With its help, it will be possible to display various images on the facade. Naturally, the club's signature red and white colors will be used as the main color scheme. In the future, during matches, the facade will be able to turn into a giant interactive scoreboard, on which they will play either a video, a current score, or messages from fans sent via SMS.
Scheme of the stadium Otkritie Arena (Spartak), Moscow
Heritage
At this stadium, both before and after the Championship, the Spartak football team will hold its home tournaments. During the world championship matches, other football matches will be held on the territory of the sports complex. Due to good transport links, fans will be able to easily get to the game of their favorite football team.
Preparation stages
There have been discussions about the construction of this stadium since 2006. But construction began a few years later. Preparations began in 2010. The zero construction cycle was completed at the end of 2011. In December 2012, builders completed the installation work of the main stands, and the future structure showed its contours.
In 2014, the final stage of construction of the stadium began. The metal structures were ready, the canopy was completed, the installation of seats in the stands, glazing, and finishing of the interior began. In May 2014, the lawn was completely prepared. An additional metro station has appeared in Tushino - “Spartak”. This contributed to improving the area's infrastructure, as well as increasing its potential as a recreation and entertainment area.
Numbers
15 billion rubles were spent on the construction of the stadium. The Otkritie Arena sports complex is the only ready-made facility for the upcoming world-class competitions.
Transport accessibility and amenities
How to get to the stadium during matches?
Metro:
The most convenient transport for moving around the city is the metro. The closest metro station to the stadium is Spartak (purple, also known as Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya line). When you exit the metro you will immediately see the stadium. You can walk to it in five minutes.
Another option is the Tushinskaya metro station on the same metro line, which is located 10 minutes from the arena. The walk to the Tushinskaya metro station is about a kilometer. To cross Volokolamsk Highway, use any of the 3 underground passages.
By electric train:
Near the Tushinskaya metro station there is the Tushino railway station, from which you can take a train to the Kursky or Rizhsky station. For those who live outside the city, trains go to the stations: Nakhabino, Dedovsk, Novoierusalimskaya, Rumyantsevo, Volokolamsk, Shakhovskaya, Depo, Tsaritsyno, Krasny Stroitel, Shcherbinka, Podolsk, Lvovskaya, Stolbovaya, Chekhov, Serpukhov, Revyakino.
By bus:
If you get to or from the stadium by ground transport, there are several public transport stops around Otkritie Arena. On the Volokolamskoye Highway near the stadium there is a bus stop through which buses 88 and 248 run, as well as a minibus 456m, which travels along the Volokolamskoye Highway and along Leningradsky Prospekt to the Belorussky Station in one direction and to the Mitino metro station in the other. Opening hours depend on the route you choose and the day of the week.
A large number of buses and minibuses stop near the Tushinskaya metro station.
Buses: 2, 88, 210, 248, 266, 372, 400t, 409, 436, 450, 455, 460 m, 464, 467, 540, 541, 542, 549, 568, 575, 614, 631, 640, 741 , 741k, 777, 904, 904k, 930, 961, 964.
Minibuses: 117m, 151, 209, 326, 450m, 468m, 475m, 498, 541, 566, 575, 631m, 741, 856.
By tram:
There is only one route near the stadium - route 6. On it you can get to the Sokol, Skhodnenskaya or Planernaya metro stations.
"Otkritie Arena" is the new stadium of the Spartak football club, which is located at Volokolamskoe sh., 69. The name was invented in honor of the sponsor bank - "Otkritie". The design of the stadium is made in red and white colors, which was one of the conditions of the guarantor. The gladiator statue in front of the stadium entrance is simply stunning. Also on the territory there is a monument to the four Starostin brothers and monuments to famous Spartacists - Igor Netto and Nikita Simonyan - are planned. But exactly what they will look like and where exactly they will be installed is not yet known.
A museum dedicated to the Spartak football club will also be opened. The stadium structure has a convenient location - a metro was built nearby. On the front side there is a huge scoreboard, where everything that happens during a football match is clearly broadcast. The stadium can accommodate forty-five thousand people, but it is possible to expand the parameters to 46 thousand, although up to 35,000 people were originally planned. Everything is done to ensure that football fans, and in general all the people who will be there, feel as cozy and comfortable as possible.
No expense has been spared here; everything is done according to European standards and standards. The initial costs were 150 million euros, but due to the crisis the budget was cut almost in half, and at the end of construction Leonid Fedun said that the cost of the Spartak stadium was 14.5 billion rubles.
Preparatory work began in October 2010, and the construction process ended in August 2014, when the country's President Vladimir Putin himself visited it. One cannot help but congratulate the Spartak football team on acquiring their corner. Now they become the owners of such a gigantic structure.
We also cannot help but recall the grand and unforgettable opening of the stadium. It all started with a pyrotechnic show, then continued with performances by pop singers. Well, of course, the football match is what brought in 36,058 thousand spectators. Also, the stadium is used for various purposes, not only for football, for example, for concerts, various performances, festivals.
On September 5, 2014, the first opening friendly match took place between Spartak and the Serbian football team Red Star, which ended in a draw - the score was 1:1. The first goal was scored by Spartak team defender Dmitry Kombarov.
Also see the diagram of the Spartak stadium Otkritie Arena
The newly built stadium of Moscow "Spartak" in Tushino has not left the Internet pages in recent days. There are a huge number of reports about visiting the arena on the Internet, but these are all reports from bloggers and journalists. I propose to look at the stadium through the eyes of a fan - an ordinary spectator who came here to watch football. Although the official opening match will take place at the stadium only on September 5 (Spartak will host Red Star Belgrade), one game in the new red-white arena has already been played - on August 30, its field was tested by the club’s illustrious veterans. Only the most devoted fans - holders of season tickets to Spartak's home matches in the beginning of the season - could attend this meeting. It was like a pre-premiere of the arena for our own people and at the same time an opportunity to test the stadium in combat conditions. Let's do our testing and...
In this post, you will find out what kind of winds blow in the Spartak arena, why you should not watch next to the press box and what is missing in the buffets at the new stadium, and also see the first goal scored here.
Although the stadium itself has already been put into operation, the development of the adjacent territory is still ongoing. So parking lots to the declared volume have not yet been built. The opportunity to park your car right next to the stadium is currently only available to visitors to the VIP sectors. Knowing this in advance, we left our car at the Tushinskaya station and, despite the proximity of the stadium, went to it... by metro.
On August 27, the 195th station of the Moscow metro was opened, called “Spartak”. The station is located on the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya (purple) line between Tushinskaya and Shchukinskaya. Probably everyone has already heard the story that they began to build it back in the 70s, but, having erected the platforms, they mothballed it until better times, leaving it without access to the surface. The construction of the Spartak stadium on the territory of the former Tushinsky airfield gave the ghost station a new life and a new name (in Soviet plans it was called “Volokolamskaya”).
I am also sure that this will be one of the most photographed stations of the Moscow metro. :) Actually, when we arrived at it, the station really resembled the venue for a mass photo shoot.
The station received a themed design and recognizable red and white colors in many details.
In the initial sketches, the vertical metal stripes on the columns were also red, but, alas, in the end this color scheme was abandoned for some reason. For me, this is in vain, because without this, the general appearance of the station clearly lacks some zest.
The symbols of the Spartak football club are present at the station of the same name only in one place - in the stained glass window of the northern lobby, which is convenient to view when rising to the surface of the earth on the escalator.
View of the lobby itself. There are two vestibules at the station: the second is located underground, this one is on the surface.
This is the view of the stadium from exiting the metro. Construction continues around the arena. It's just a stone's throw from the podium - about 150-200 meters. Very comfortably.
Larger view from the same location. The entire stadium, except for the glass facade of the main stand, is covered with red and white diamond-shaped panels. On the end façade, facing the Volokolamsk Highway, there is a huge screen, the area of which is as much as six hundred square meters. While you are walking to the stadium, you can watch the goals of your favorite team in the latest matches. In this photo, Dzyuba is just scoring his first goal against Rubin. :) There seemed to be talk that the entire cladding of the stadium would serve as one huge media facade, but I can’t say with confidence that this was implemented, since I haven’t seen any demonstrations of such a possibility yet, even on the Internet - let alone live.
The approach to the stadium from the metro looks well-maintained: new asphalt and tiles, fresh markings, stands with signs, bright lawns with flower beds. The flowers are planted in the shape of Spartak symbols - there is a whole red and white rhombus with four “golden” stars. A tray with fan paraphernalia in the background - by the way, a new point of the Professor - the famous Spartak fan Amir Khuslyutdinov, who always traded at home matches of his favorite club at other stadiums.
A huge monument to the symbol of Spartak - the gladiator - was erected in front of the arena. If I'm not mistaken, the total height of the structure is 25 meters. The sculpture itself, in my opinion, is controversial, but in the general context, to my not very refined architectural taste, it looks normal.
Our seats are in sector B101 on the North Stand - the one behind the gladiator and with a screen on the facade. I don’t have to go far - I quickly find a sign with the number of our sector. We are under this canopy, which covers the ticket control and spectator screening area.
To get here, you need to “validate” your ticket (in our case, a subscription). A subscription to Spartak matches this year, by the way, is an Otkritie Bank card, which simply has an additional function written on it. I don’t remember whether there is a full-fledged turnstile in this place or just a “scanner” with a steward on duty. I present the subscription - and after a second the green light lights up on the “scanner”. At the same time, a paper ticket with the details of a particular match emerges from a nearby printer, which must be kept until the end of the event. Of course, the stewards help you carry out all these procedures.
The stewards inspect the spectators. Police officers are also present at the metal detectors, but they perform a supervisory function without interfering in the process. I hope this state of affairs will continue at official matches - this will be a real achievement for the culture of organizing football matches in our country. The stewards at the Spartak stadium are simply an example of politeness and friendliness: “Hello! Allow me to inspect you. Please raise your hands. Thank you! Please open your bag. Thank you! Welcome!" It’s clear that this is how it should be, but out of habit, tears of emotion well up. :) Although, maybe this is just an attack of sentimentality due to the excitement of the moment - after all, the first visit to the long-awaited stadium of your favorite club. :)
We leave from under the canopy - there are some tens of meters to the entrance to the stadium.
At the entrance there is another turnstile (now it’s definitely a turnstile). But much more comfortable than in Luzhniki, where in recent years there were scary full-height “turntables”, which were inconvenient for even slender people to squeeze into. By the way, you again need to attach a subscription card, and not a paper ticket printed at the entrance.
View from the entrance to the tribune room. The signs are in place - it's hard to get lost.
The sub-tribune is as practical as possible. The only decorations are patterns of multi-colored tiles on the floor. Of course, in the shape of rhombuses - so that it intersects with the facade of the stadium. Otherwise, there are no frills, even the pipes under the ceiling are not covered. In Luzhniki this part was, of course, more comfortable.
Here everything is as functional as possible. Directly ahead is the entrance to one of the sectors, on the left is the toilet, on the right is the buffet. By the way, about decorations. In the photos from blogger reports from the stadium, we all saw wall mosaics with portraits of famous Spartak players: Simonyan, Romantsev, Beskov and others. Apparently, they are all located on the sidelines of the VIP grandstand. It's a pity. In my opinion, it would be cool to make one such mosaic in each sub-tribune block (in our block, sectors from B101 to B107). Then, each internal section of the stadium would have its own attraction, which would brighten up the simplicity of the decoration. It seems to me that it’s not too late to think about this now - there are enough gray walls, and the money is probably not that big.
Okay, time for the sector. We, if you remember, diagonally to the right. We specially bought season tickets for sector B101 - it is located behind the gates, but in the corner of the stadium, closest to the VIP grandstand - approximately from this viewing angle we are used to watching football at Luzhniki. When entering the sector, you must show the steward the ticket printed at the entrance - the seats are no longer indicated on the ticket. There is no inspection here. Unlike Luzhniki and other stadiums, where you could be groped three to five times on the way to the stands, at the Spartak arena everything was limited to being searched by metal detectors. It would be great if this practice continues at official matches. The same, by the way, can be said about the police presence at the stadium. She exists, but she practically does not come into direct contact with the fans - there are also only stewards in the sectors.
And here we are in a sector that, I hope, will become our second home for many years, just like B5 in Luzhniki was.
First look at the sector. I really like this one and only chair in its row, number one. :) Due to the fact that the sector is located in a curve, and also on the first tier, where there should be an entrance gate in the corner of the stadium, B101 has an asymmetrical configuration.
The stadium is two-tiered. Moreover, between the upper and lower tiers there is not a row of boxes, as on the Lokomotiv, but an open passage. Well, that is, as an open one... At first, the cops politely chased away those who tried to stand at the fence behind our sector, then they disappeared somewhere. But there were few people willing - the audience was initially limited. In general, it is not yet clear how this passage will be used during official matches. But in general it’s a strange feeling - we have tickets just for the last row, but at the same time someone else could be standing above your head. By the way, this area is accessible only to spectators in the upper tier - there is no access from the lower sectors.
On a larger plan of the inter-tier space, cameras of the video surveillance system for spectators, which the stadium is equipped with, are also visible.
Another ambush associated with the two-tier stadium is that there is a decent draft in our seats. Behind our sector is not a brick wall with a narrow passage, but an open space under the stands. The problem with drafts is familiar from the Lokomotiv stadium, where Spartak played its home matches last season (we had similar places there). But I was sure that such a disaster would not happen at our arena in Tushino, because here, unlike Lokomotiv, there is a facade. Alas, the calculation did not come true. Apparently, we’ll have to crawl lower so that it’s not so windy, which is what we actually did in the first match.
However, stop whining about drafts. It’s time to finally turn around and check out the main thing - the view towards the field.
Excellent review! Just simply excellent! The stands, of course, are not two meters from the edge, as in England, but still very close. And, by the way, there is no deep ditch between the stands and the sideline, like at Lokomotiv. And the viewing angle from our seats is better than from a similar point in the locomotive arena.
Meanwhile, the veterans are already on the field. This meeting was called the All-Star Game. All the stars, of course, did not gather. After all, the championship is in full swing - many Spartak players are busy coaching in their clubs. Because of this, Alenichev, Filimonov, Ananko, Karpin could not come... For some reason, Cherenkov was not there. However, the gathered idols of the past would be enough for more than one golden lineup. Gavrilov, Dasaev, Rodionov, Titov, Beschastnykh, Kechinov... And on the coaching benches are Romantsev, Yartsev, Simonyan... Of course, watching this action is a thrill, truly accessible only to a long-time Spartak fan, because on the field there are childhood idols and football players from when my parents were young.
However, nostalgic interesting things happened not only on the field. For example, the man sitting in front of us tore up the stadium several times with the chant “From Moscow to the Himalayas, the king of the air is Dasaev.” I know this chant, of course, but for me it has always been something like the legends of hoary antiquity - in our time there are no such chants anymore. And here is a real person who, it seems, shouted it at the stadium about thirty years ago.
What added special significance to the meeting of veterans was the realization that everything that happens on the field is happening here for the first time - history is literally being written before our eyes. The first penalty saved at the Spartak stadium was by Nigmatullin (Kechinov beat him), the first offside was by Yuran, the first shot on the crossbar was by Shmarov, the first goal was by him. I was lucky to capture the historic first ball on video. On the recording, you can hear how the same man who shouted about Dasaev gives a historical certificate about Shmarov - it was he who scored the goal in 1989 that brought Spartak our last Soviet championship.
In general, the events in the match developed like this: Shmarov then scored the second goal, and the teams went into the break with the score 2:0 in favor of the “whites”. But at the beginning of the second half, the Reds sharply increased the tempo and quickly scored three goals: Kechinov, Titov and Mor scored. The Whites managed to get back - Popov scored an accurate shot, but Kechinov, after Konovalov’s cross, almost immediately brought the Reds ahead again. The Whites could have saved the game in the remaining time, but Yuran missed his second penalty in this match (this time the shot was saved by Prudnikov). As a result, 4:3 in favor of the “reds”. (Unfortunately, there are inaccuracies in the description of the match on the official Spartak website - Kechinov’s first goal was attributed to Titov, and it is also written that Kechinov earned the first penalty, not Shirko - I wrote about this in the club’s official group on VKontakte, but no one corrected the information during the week.) It’s a pity that the veterans only played two halves of 20 minutes each. Considering the number of participants, I think there would be enough for a longer match.
Another interesting thing: Yuran, without using one moment, showed the fans an undershirt with the inscription “Ilya Tsymbalar, you are with us” in memory of the famous Spartak player of the 90s, who suddenly passed away last winter, and the audience booed Onopko every time when he received the ball, the long-time captain of the Russian national team was not forgiven for the incident at a meeting with CSKA fans, on whose coaching staff he now works, when the fans forced Onopko to kiss the red and blue scarf. In addition, announcer Max Orlov told an interesting story about Denis Boyarintsev. It turns out that seven years ago Boyara, while still a Spartak player, took part in laying a capsule into the foundation of the future stadium and left a coin next to it, wishing to play for Spartak in the new arena. Denis left the team a long time ago, and even ended his career this spring, but his dream came true - in the very first match at this stadium he entered the field wearing a Spartak T-shirt! I love sentimental stories like this. :)
Apart from the draft, it was very comfortable to watch the match. The seats at the stadium are not only vandal-resistant (many have probably heard stories about workers jumping on them almost two at a time, trying to break them), but also quite comfortable. The backrest is higher than the seats in Luzhniki, so you can even fall apart a little. The only “disadvantage” is that when you get up, the seat folds up very quickly. So, if you stand up at a dangerous moment, and then try to put your butt back in place without looking, you can screw up. :) However, everyone is already standing on the fan stand; the opportunity to sit is nothing more than an additional option for spending time during the break. :)
Well, let's take a look at the stands. This is the Northern one, which is also Grandstand B. The home “fan”, which will soon become the heart of the support and a platform for colorful performances. View from the very corner of our sector. This plan clearly shows that we are on a curve. By the way, please note that the partitions between sectors within the same grandstand are symbolic - not like in Luzhniki.
It is in front of our podium, next to the left gate in the TV picture, that there is a monument to the founders of Spartak, the Starostin brothers. I definitely like this sculpture. By the way, after the veterans’ match, one of its participants, Eduard More, came here with his family to take a photo with the monument. This plan also clearly shows that the fan stand is separated from the field by a protective net. Of course, it does not protect the spectators from balls flying past the goal, but the field from the possible throwing of fireworks. Although this rarely happens at home matches lately, I hope it will completely disappear at my stadium. The net, of course, does not interfere with watching football, but there is psychological discomfort from it. Although from our vantage point the net blocks off only a small part of the field.
To the right of our sector is the press box. This is one of two areas allocated for media representatives - the second is located directly in the center of the main stand. By the way, the partition separating the press area, despite its transparency, significantly complicates watching football from the corner seats of our sector.
Behind the press box is the Western Stand itself (also known as Stand A, also known as the main, central and VIP stand). The upper tier of this stand is a glass wall, behind which there are VIP boxes, and even higher, obviously, commentary booths. The boxes have balconies. There are 45 boxes in total, and their rental at crazy prices makes up the lion's share of the club's income from ticket sales.
The lower tier of the VIP stand looks more democratic, although the seats there are still steeper than ours.
This is stand C, also known as the East Stand. She will be the main one on the TV picture. On its lower tier there is the inscription “Spartak”. I think it would have been better to duplicate the inscription somewhere in Cyrillic, but after the “Opening of the Arena” it was naive to count on this.
And this is stand D, South, a mirror of the stand we are on. There will also be a guest sector - apparently, it is fenced off in the left corner. The total capacity of the stadium is almost 45 thousand spectators. For the 2018 World Cup, matches of which will be held, among other things, at the Spartak stadium, the number of seats is planned to be increased, but, to be honest, I have no idea how.
And a couple more details. The benches of coaches and substitutes are recessed below the level of the field - apparently in order not to block the view of the spectators in the first rows. It's funny that the steps leading to the bench are covered with lawn.
Lighting lamps are built into the canopy structure.
Well, let's assume that we're hungry - it's time to have a snack. In our part of the stadium, there are two buffets in seven sectors, operated by New Yorker. There were no long lines at the veterans' match. However, only 7,953 spectators were present at this game. We will evaluate the capacity of the buffet during full houses.
Spartak fans have long known that the new stadium will be declared a cashless payment zone. They say this is normal practice for modern arenas in Europe. In particular, this is exactly how it works at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk, which, as I understand it, we looked up to in many ways (we even lured an agronomist from there).
You can pay for your purchase with a bank card, including the one on which the subscription is recorded. True, there is a small detail - for this you must first activate it and enter a PIN code. But you can’t do this at the stadium - you must first contact Otkritie Bank. My sister’s husband Igor, by the way, tried to do this... I won’t describe his unsuccessful experience in detail, but the point is that he went to the bank branch twice and spent several hours making phone calls, but was still unable to activate the card because for errors in the date of issue of the passport, made through no fault of his own. In general, Igor said that he will never set foot in Otkritie Bank again!
However, for those who do not have a bank card, the problem is easier to solve. The guys in the “I know how to pay here” T-shirts are handing out nameless prepaid cards to everyone who wants them, which do not require complex activation and can be topped up at the terminal right in the tribune room. Of the three terminals standing in this pile, however, only one worked, but otherwise I did not encounter any difficulties. I deliberately did not use my bank card and tested the system with issued cards.
True, already in line it turned out that you can still pay in cash at the buffet. But apparently this is a temporary measure.
The buffet menu is shown in the next three pictures. A glass of tea 0.2 for 60 rubles is, of course, redneck. In addition, the saleswoman immediately stated that there was no tea and coffee (that is, no hot drinks), as well as beer. Then, however, it turned out that there was no tea, but sugar - you can buy tea without sugar. I hope there will be no such problems in the future. Not being able to drink tea at the stadium in the fall is just complete bullshit! But the hot dogs turned out to be very decent, not like in Luzhniki, where, it seems, over the weekend they poured out to the fans all the stale buns that they could not sell in the city during the week.
The main problem of the buffet became clear at the moment when I, with a hot dog in one hand and a glass of hot tea in the other, walked away from the cash register and discovered... yes, a complete lack of tables in the food court. I hope this is a temporary bug that will be corrected by tomorrow’s official opening.
By the way, pay attention that in the sub-tribune there are TVs showing football. It would be great if during matches they show a broadcast of the game taking place on the field. Well, we are returning to the sector.
Meanwhile, the second number of the program begins - a broadcast from Perm of the Russian Championship match “Amkar” - “Spartak”. The scoreboards at the stadium are large, but we, of course, cannot see what hangs above our stands, and the distant one is still a little too small for watching football. For replays, close-ups during matches are just the thing. I hope, by the way, that they will be. Watching the match at the stadium, but with replays, is an ideal option. The broadcast had sound, and the commentator could be heard perfectly. But when the announcer’s voice was heard during the veterans’ match, his words did not sound very clear due to some kind of echo.
It looks like all the flower beds around the arena are designed in the shape of red and white diamonds. :)
The surrounding area continues to be improved. As I understand it, multi-level parking lots are being built for stadium visitors.
I can imagine how cool this whole area will look when the project is implemented in a new volume. However, even now the Spartak stadium is the main point of attraction on the Volokolamsk highway, and quite claims to be called a new landmark of Moscow. We now have our own red and white house, and it’s so beautiful! :)
And to sum up the impressions: the stadium is beautiful both outside and inside, and in general it is convenient for watching football (I would write “convenient” without any reservations, if not for the draft). It’s great that steps have been taken to ensure that this arena becomes not only a technological achievement, but also a serious leap in the development of the organization of football matches in Russia - I mean, first of all, the system of stewards. At the same time, there are several small but significant domestic shortcomings at the Spartak stadium, which, I hope, will be corrected by the next match.
Opening Arena is a long-awaited stadium that has become the home arena for Moscow Spartak. Surprisingly, one of the most popular teams in Russia did not have its own stadium before.
general information
Official site: otkritiearena.ru
Capacity: 45360 seats
Address: Moscow, Volokolamskoe highway, 69
GPS coordinates for the navigator: 55.8181801 north latitude, 37.4404755 east longitude
Year of construction: 2007 – 2014
Field: 105×68 m.
Total grass area: 8,970 sq.m.
Scoreboard: electronic.
Coating: natural.
Construction cost: 14.5 billion rubles.
How to get to the stadium
Metro
You can get to the stadium by going to the two nearest metro stations - “Spartak” (3–5 minutes to the arena on foot) and “Tushinskaya” (7–10 minutes to the arena on foot). On match days, the Spartak metro station operates as usual - both for entry and exit of passengers.
Personal vehicles
On match days, entry to the stadium by car will only be permitted with season passes issued upon purchase of a season ticket and single passes. Today, the stadium area is designed for a limited number of parking spaces, so it will not be possible to park cars without the above-mentioned pass.
Ground urban transport
A large number of buses and minibuses stop near the Tushinskaya metro station.
Buses: 2, 88, 210, 248, 266, 372, 400t, 409, 436, 450, 455, 460 m, 464, 467, 540, 541, 542, 549, 568, 575, 614, 631, 640, 741, 741k, 777, 904, 904k, 930, 961, 964.
Minibuses: 117m, 151, 209, 326, 450m, 468m, 475m, 498, 541, 566, 575, 631m, 741, 856.
Suburban trains
Near the Tushinskaya metro station there is the Tushino railway station, from which you can take a train to the Kursky or Rizhsky station, as well as to the following stations: Nakhabino, Dedovsk, Novoierusalimskaya, Rumyantsevo, Volokolamsk, Shakhovskaya, Depot, Tsaritsyno, Krasny Stroitel, Shcherbinka , Podolsk, Lvovskaya, Stolbovaya, Chekhov, Serpukhov, Revyakino.
Parking at Otkritie Arena
Below is a diagram of the traffic flow during events and a parking plan.
How to get to the stadium on foot
We also provide a diagram of access to the stadium on foot and a diagram of the location of bicycle parking.
Facts about the stadium
Spartak Stadium became the first renamed arena in the modern history of Russian football. The club's management signed a long-term contract with the Otkritie financial corporation, after which the arena was named. The deal became extremely profitable for the “people's team”, since 6 million euros a year dripped into the club’s account practically out of thin air.
Otkritie Arena was officially opened on September 5, 2014 with a friendly match between Spartak and Crvena Zvezda, which ended in a 1:1 draw. The choice of the Serbian team as an opponent is not accidental - the fact is that the fans of both teams have been united by friendship for a long time. Of the 37 thousand spectators who attended the match, more than 5,000 came to support the friendly club from Serbia.
Many well-known companies fought for the arena project, but in the end the right to design the new Spartak stadium went to the American AESOM. The cost of the Arena Opening has changed several times. In 2007, a figure of 150 million euros was announced, later, in 2009, when the global crisis began, the owner of Spartak Leonid Fedun said that much less money would be spent on creating the arena, however, as is the case in most cases of sports construction in Russia, At the end of the creation of the facility, it was announced that Otkritie Arena cost its creators 14.5 billion rubles, which at that time was equivalent to $480 million.
At the time of construction of the sports facility, various versions of its name were being worked out. The most obvious one, which we eventually came to, was the banal, but completely reflective of the essence of the construction idea, the name “Spartak”. Two more interesting versions were also voiced: “New Colosseum”, although from a historical point of view it would not be entirely correct to call the arena this way, because during the life of the gladiator Spartacus the Colosseum was not even close to being founded. The second version of the name was “Starostin Brothers Stadium”, but when it became known that the 2018 World Cup matches would be held in this arena, this option was quickly put aside, because according to FIFA regulations it is not allowed to name arenas in someone’s honor.
Back in 1975, near the site where the stadium is now located, the construction of the Volokolamskaya metro station was suspended. In 2013, in connection with the creation of a large-scale football arena, the Moscow authorities resumed construction of a metro station. At the end of August 2014, a renovated point of the Moscow metro, called “Spartak” (today a station on the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya line), opened its doors to football fans.
Stadium infrastructure
Otkritie Arena (and the adjacent territory with a total area of 36,000 square meters) today is a multifunctional complex capable of hosting not only football matches, but also a huge variety of different events, ranging from mini-art exhibitions to large-scale open-type concerts -air.
Under the arches of the stadium on the 3rd floor of the VIP stands there are 3 modern restaurants - Silver, Gold and Platinum. When fully loaded, they can accommodate more than 1000 guests at a time. A unique design and a wonderful menu from the best chefs will make any holiday, corporate event or wedding celebration special. The highlight is the panoramic view of the football ground, which is a great option if you want to host an event in a venue owned by the club you support.
On the ground floor of the VIP grandstand there is a sports bar open and operating very successfully with the simple, but at the same time quite creative name SPORT BAR. This place is in great demand among Spartak fans, who come here to cheer for their favorite team when it plays away, but it is not possible to support it in the stands of someone else’s stadium. This place is imbued with a special flavor, since everything here is done in the white and red colors of the Moscow club. SPORT BAR can easily accommodate up to 180 football fans within its walls. The menu includes beer and specialty snacks. It also hosts gastronomic master classes from the best chefs in Russia and Europe, tasting events, plus all-Russian competitions among bartenders.
Next to the sports bar there is a compactly located ultra-modern press conference room equipped with the latest technology, designed for 150 people. Equipment: large screen, multimedia projector, sound system and 4 booths for simultaneous translation. The Otkritie Arena press center can be used not only for holding meetings with the participation of sports media. Without any problems, you can conduct trainings, corporate and educational master classes and even auctions.
VIP boxes are a special place in the stadium. Otkritie Arena is designed in such a way that guests of the VIP boxes can confidently say that their view of the football field is the best. Here you have broadband Wi-FI and a TV panel at your service, where you can watch the match live and see in replay everything that you couldn’t see on the football pitch for some reason. One special guest facility can accommodate a maximum of 12 people. There are a total of 65 VIP boxes at the stadium, many of which are purchased before the start of the season as season tickets. The rental cost for one match depends on its importance and can vary from 120,000 to 850,000.
If you can’t imagine your life without football, watched directly at the stadium, and not on TV screens, if you have children and on the day of the match you have nowhere to take them, then the Spartak Kids children’s room at the Otkritie Arena is the best solution. Located in the VIP grandstand, the room is equipped with bright, state-of-the-art entertainment equipment and educational games. Only the most highly qualified teachers work in the children's room. This room is not only an ideal option to leave your child for 2 hours and not worry about him during a football match; Here you can easily hold a birthday or any other children's party that can accommodate up to 30 small guests.
The second floor of the VIP grandstand has a large food court (up to 1000 people at a time). It, just like the sports bar, is decorated in the Spartak team’s signature colors. Medium and large events, fairs, exhibitions and corporate events of large capital companies take place here.
On the second floor there is a sports paraphernalia store, the Red-White Store, where, as you might guess, you can buy scarves, T-shirts, mugs, hats, and official T-shirts of players with Spartak symbols. The workers themselves unanimously declare that the Red-White fan shop is the largest not only in Russia, but throughout Europe.
The “Spartak Hall of Fame” is open at the stadium, so if you want to see more than 600 rare artifacts that belonged to the team’s legendary football players and coaches, watch the most memorable excerpts from Spartak matches, choose the best of the best using unique multimedia equipment, then be sure to visit this place and Learn first-hand the history of one of the country's most popular clubs.
In August 2014, near the football field next to the “B” stand, a bronze-cast monument to the Starostin brothers, the legendary Soviet football players and sports figures who laid the foundation for the existence of Moscow Spartak, was erected. A little later, in 2015, a 25-meter (including pedestal) gladiator statue was unveiled next to the stadium. Before each home match of Spartak, anyone can take part in a tour of the stadium, during which they will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the internal architecture of the stadium, the museum of FC Spartak, the players' locker rooms, examine the commentary booths, and for an additional fee even go to the edge of the field and get to the spare shop.
Sport events
It was said a little higher about the opening match between Spartak and Red Star: although it was a significant event, it was not an official one. But the first official match at the Otkritie Arena turned out to be interesting: in the 7th round of the RFPL 2014/15 in the Moscow derby between Spartak and Torpedo the score was recorded 3:1 in favor of the “red-whites”.
The national team got its turn to play at the Otkritie Arena in mid-October 2014. The qualifying match for the right to participate in EURO 2016 between Russia and Moldova did not bring anything good to the hosts - 1:1. Modest even by European standards, the Moldavian squad almost caused a sensation by conceding the only goal from the penalty spot.
The debut of Otkrytie Arena in European competition was marked by complete collapse for Spartak: after a good result in the form of a 1:1 draw away with Cypriot AEK, the Muscovites sensationally lost at home 0:1 and were eliminated from the Europa League. The next year, in the 2016/17 season, Spartak, as the national champion, started in the Champions League and immediately faced off against the European tops in the form of Liverpool and Seville. The “red-whites” shared the points with the English (1:1), but the victory over the Spanish team with a score of 5:1 is considered by many to be the best game of Spartak in its modern history.
In the summer of 2017, 4 matches of the tournament were played at the Otkritie Arena, which had returned to its old name “Spartak” during the Confederations Cup preceding the World Cup. The Russian team took part in one game, losing to Portugal 0:1. By the way, then in the fight for 3rd place, the Portuguese, in the presence of almost 43,000 spectators, defeated the Mexicans.
In 2018, Otkritie Arena hosted 5 World Cup matches - 4 were in the group stage, 1 in the playoff stage. The knockout round match turned out to be the most dramatic: a couple of minutes before the final whistle, England lost to Colombia, but in the end still managed to gain the upper hand, winning in a penalty shootout. One of the three most productive matches of the tournament between Belgium and Tunisia (5:2) was also played at the Otkritie Arena, and in the very first match between Argentina and Iceland (1:1), Leo Messi, recognized by many as the best football player in history, failed to score penalty.
Cultural events
Thanks to the excellent acoustic system, lighting and sound equipment supplied here directly from the factories of the world's leading manufacturers, Otkritie Arena can easily become a venue for major events and concerts.
The stadium hosted a large-scale festival called Maxidrom, organized by Radio Maximum. On the main stage, in the presence of more than 40,000 spectators, Leroy Thornhill (DJ, ex-member of the Prodigy group), IAMX and the legendary German rockers from Rammstein rocked out.
The equally large Park Live festival was also held under the arches of the Opening Arena. In the first year, the show lasted 1 day, and the famous British band Muse performed as the headliner. The following year, the organizers surpassed their success by dividing the show program into 2 days; in the first, Spleen warmed up the crowd, and it all ended with a simply enchanting show of rock legends from the Red Hot Chili Peppers; in the second, the incomparable Lana del Rey appeared on stage. The scandalous Russian group Leningrad gathered a full house at the Otkritie Arena. It was also here that the legendary band Depeche Mode and the hard rock band Guns N’ Roses performed.
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