Egypt was designated to play with Russia (the host), Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay in Group A of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. According to the schedule, Egypt will play its first match against Uruguay on 15 June, then it will face Russia on 19 June, then Saudi Arabia on 25 June. The Pharaohs will play their three group-stage games on three different pitches.
Daily News Egypt sheds light on the stadiums hosting the Egyptian team’s matches.
Yekaterinburg Stadium
Initially known as Central Stadium, Yekaterinburg was originally built between 1953 and 1957 and was redeveloped between 2007 and 2011. It is the home of the Russian Premier League club Ural Yekaterinburg. Yekaterinburg will host Egypt’s first World Cup match against Uruguay.
Nominated as a host city, Yekaterinburg was faced with the dilemma of how to satisfy FIFA’s stipulation that venues house a minimum of 35,000 people. Russians came up with the idea of incorporating temporary extra seating that stretches beyond the stadium perimeter, behind both goals.
After the World Cup, these temporary seats will be removed, which will leave the stadium with a capacity of around 23,000 people.
The stadium will provide three types of seats, including special seats for people with disabilities and sections for the fans. In the eastern and western sides of the stadium, 30% of seats will be located under a canopy.
The stadium will host four matches in the World Cup.
Egypt vs Uruguay in Group A
France vs Peru in Group C
Japan vs Senegal in Group H
Mexico vs Sweden in Group F
Saint-Petersburg Stadium
Saint-Petersburg Stadium, also called Zenit Arena or Krestovsky Stadium, is one of the main stadiums for the World Cup. It will host Egypt’s second game, against host country Russia, so the stadium is expected to be full of excited Russian fans.
The stadium was opened in April 2017. It cost about $1bn, making it one of the most expensive stadiums in the world. Designed by the Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. it is a scaled-down version of the same designer’s Toyota Stadium in Toyota City, Japan. The stadium was built with a capacity of 56,000 spectators, but the number of seats was increased to 68,000 for the World Cup.
The stadium will host seven matches in the World Cup.
Morocco vs Iran in Group B
Russia vs Egypt in Group A
Brazil vs Costa Rica in Group E
Nigeria vs Argentina in Group D
Winner of Group F vs Runner-up of Group E in the Round of 16
Winner of Match 57 vs Winner of Match 58 in Semi-final
Loser of Match 61 vs Loser of Match 62 in third place match
Volgograd Arena
The stadium was purpose-built for the World Cup. It will host three Arab teams in the group stage.
Egypt will face Saudi Arabia in the third match of Group A, while Tunisia will face England in Group G.
The stadium is located in southwest Russia, on the western bank of the Volga River. It has a capacity of 45,568 spectators. After the World Cup, the stadium will be reduced to a 35,000 capacity and will become the new home of Russian the top-tier FC Rotor Volgograd.
Volgograd was previously called Stalingrad, a city that has a historic relationship with Egypt. It witnessed a twinning agreement with Port Said in the 1960s, as both cities faced aggression in war-time: Stalingrad in World War II and Port Said in the Suez Crisis (Tripartite Aggression).
The stadium will host four matches in the World Cup.
Tunisia vs England in Group G
Nigeria vs Iceland in Group D
Saudi Arabia vs Egypt in Group A
Japan vs Poland in Group H
