Kaliningrad Prepares for World Cup: Revitalized City Ready to Welcome Fans From All Over Europe
Amber, Kant, the Curonian Spit, and a ticket to the game between England and Belgium; this weekend, the fan guide will include a nostalgic night in the stands of the Soccer Park mobile festival in Kaliningrad. A FIFA all-stars team will play against Russian soccer stars. Watch another exclusive report on the host cities of the upcoming tournament.
Marina Naumova reports on the Baltic stronghold of the FIFA World Cup.
Host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Kaliningrad Oblast.
Zabivaka the Wolf has become a symbol of Kaliningrad along with the amber and white sand dunes. Russia's westernmost region is preparing for an influx of FIFA fans. The Kaliningrad Oblast expects to host at least half a million guests. Many fans from Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, and Baltic countries are going to take advantage of Kaliningrad's geographical location to drive to the venue from neighboring European Union countries. At the border with the Czech Republic and Lithuania, fans will receive expedited screening. Everyone should be able to pass a checkpoint and cross the border within three minutes.
Khrabrovo Airport, Kaliningrad
Khrabrovo International Airport is ready. The passenger terminal has been remodeled and is now double the size. On the busiest days, the airport will serve up to 2,000 passengers per hour.
The Football Association of Serbia has chosen the resort town of Svetlogorsk as a practice venue. The soccer team will be staying at a 4-star hotel that looks like a castle. It's located within walking distance from the sea and, most importantly, the stadium.
Kaliningrad is to host four group-stage matches. The most prestigious one, according to the fan community, is a game between the world soccer stars from England and Belgium.
Lit up with bright, blue lights, the 35,000-capacity Kaliningrad Arena looks like a seaborne ship. The grandstands and the changing rooms also feature sea-themed designs. The locals are impressed with the emerald-green lawns, the incredible acoustics, and the great illumination of the field, which has successfully hosted three test games.
"Since Germany is the reigning world champion, they'll get to test our green lawn today".
Cheese balls versus chicken croquettes; the final match snack is very popular among FIFA fans. Local restaurants offer a special soccer menu, including Arshavin's potato chips, Kerzhakov's chicken drumsticks, and Kokorin's "Festive Fireworks" sparkling wine. Here, you can order Ronaldo's favorite meal or a dish that Messi really likes.
The Kaliningrad Amber Combine, the only amber mine in the world that uses the open-pit method, will not be left out of the World Cup. Before creating new souvenirs, jewelers watched several games in order to accurately imitate the movement of forwards.
Here is a fine piece of music embedded in glass. Go for a walk and you may meet Yury Lenshin, a famous glass blower.
– Hello, Yury Yurievich. May I try to make one, too?
– Sure, go ahead.
– Thank you! I did it!
Downtown, there are tourist walking routes that have directional signs in English. You can walk from the stadium to the old cathedral where Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher, was buried in 1804.
The Kaliningrad Oblast also boasts over 30 miles of luxurious beaches. At Zelenogradsk resorts, fans will have a chance to follow the World Cup games while listening to the sound of the waves. A large campsite has been set up for these purposes.
At the Curonian Spit National Park, guests are greeted by these friendly boars along with other wildlife species.
Marina Naumova, Evgeny Bekish, Aleksandr Naumov, Pavel Timofeev, Vesti, Kaliningrad Oblast