Stadium roof erected in Rostov-on-Don - RUSSIA 2018
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As the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ gets closer, construction on all the tournament's stadiums continues apace. Every month FIFA.com updates fans on how progress is going.
This month's progress
As one of Russia's southernmost cities hosting the World Cup in 2018, an important milestone has been passed in the construction of Rostov-on-Don's stadium. Rostov Arena, which will be the centrepiece of the new urban recreation zone on the left bank of the Don River, is making swift progress and the venue's roof has now been erected. The next step is to dismantle the temporary metal constructions that were supporting it.
According to Aras Agalarov, president of the Crocus Group who are General Contractors on the stadium's construction, a modern cover made from Serge Ferrari composite membranes is now being installed. The key advantage of this material is that it allows a certain amount of sunlight through, which is necessary for the grass to grow, as the stadium will have a natural playing surface all year round. Agalarov also revealed that progress is being made on Rostov Arena's interactive facade.
The roof is now being held entirely by cable lines, as planned in the initial design. All the temporary supports are expected to be removed within a month.
The stairways and barriers are also nearly finished at the Rostov Arena, which will host four group-stage matches and one Round-of-16 tie at Russia 2018. Improvements are being carried out to the surrounding territory and the fences are being built.
Elsewhere in Russia
Work has begun at the Volgograd Arena construction site on the second stage of the stadium's facade and is expected to be finished by the end of this year. The so-called 'crown facade' will be made up of 44 metal sections put together, and each section is coloured in high-resolution white, which from the exterior resembles a star. The first stage of constructing the facade has been completed and the lower tier has taken shape.
Temporary supports have been put in place on October Island in Kaliningrad, meaning the framework of the roof can start being mounted at the Kaliningrad Stadium. The venue's exterior walls and interior partitions are still being built, while the ventilation and heating system are currently being installed as well.
The Fisht Stadium in Sochi, which is being renovated ahead of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017, has seen construction work conclude on the northern and southern stands. The full-body scanners, inspection cameras and turnstiles have been set up at the stadium gates.
The construction of the roof in Nizhny Novgorod is progressing, as the frame is now 20% complete.
In Saransk, eight of the 88 panels making up the stadium's dome have now been put in place. The concrete bed beneath the pitch is being constructed.
In Ekaterinburg, the four entrances on each side of the venue providing access to the stadium grounds are being erected.
The seats at the main World Cup venue, the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, will start being installed over the next few weeks. According to the director of the capital's construction department, Andrei Bochkarev, once the heating system at the arena is ready at the end of October, the seats will begin to be put in place between then and the start of November.
Did you know?
The first tests of the retractable surface at the Saint Petersburg Stadium have been successfully carried out. According to the designs, once completely ready, it will take no more than one hour to retract the playing surface at the Russia 2018 venue. The pitch itself is complete and weighs 6,500 tonnes. Furthermore, the first football match has already gone ahead at the stadium. Of course, it was not an official fixture, but two teams of workers played a full 90 minutes against each other.