FIFA.com is bringing its series on the stadiums hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, where the best players in the world will be competing for the title of world champions, to a close. Today we present the Saint Petersburg Stadium, which has already passed a major test as the flagship arena of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017.

Matches Saint Petersburg Stadium is hosting seven matches at Russia 2018, including knockout matches in the Round of 16, semi-final and the play-off for third place. Morocco kick off their campaign here against IR Iran on 15 June.

Capacity During the World Cup, the venue will be able to seat up to 67,000 spectators.

Location The new stadium was built on the site of the old Kirov Stadium on Krestovsky Island, which has a statue of the former city mayor facing the stadium entrance. The old arena was one of the biggest football stadiums in the Soviet Union and could hold up to 110,000 spectators. The construction of the stadium has also boosted the transport infrastructure in the area, as earlier this year the Novokrestovsky Metro Station was built to service the venue. Last year, a bridge was also built to connect the island to the south bank of the Primorsky district.

Did you know? The renowned Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa won the tender to design the construction of the arena. Following his creative vision, the exterior of the stadium was built to resemble a space ship or a flying saucer landing in the Gulf of Finland. The venue has an extendable roof and a retractable pitch, meaning the facility can not only host football matches but also all manner of cultural and entertainment events. As an added bonus, the stadium is able to maintain a steady temperature of +20 degrees all year round.

First matches The stadium was opened in 2017 and, later that year, it hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup, including the Opening Match and Final, when Joachim Low’s Germany overcame Chile. The biggest club in Saint Petersburg, Zenit, play their domestic and European fixtures here, while the venue also stages international matches, such as Russia’s 3-3 friendly draw with Spain in November 2017 and the 3-1 defeat by France in March of this year.

Legacy Zenit will move in permanently to the Saint Petersburg Stadium after the World Cup. The venue will also continue to be an occasional home ground for the national team as well. Finally, three group stage fixtures at UEFA EURO 2020 will be held here.