World Cup City Guide: Sochi
A quick overview on all the cities that will play host to this summer's World Cup finals, and what we can expect from Russia as it showcases itself to the world.
Name in Russian: Сóчи
Population: 343,334
Average June temperature: 20.2 °C
History: Located on the Black Sea, near the border with Georgia, the area on which the city of Sochi sits today was, for a long time, not very well know to the Russians. The outpost was founded in 1864 as part of a larger sequence of Russian expansion along to Black Sea coast, and it gained city status in 1917. During the Second World War, it served as a rehabilitation centre - the entire city was essentially a hospital. More recently, Sochi became famous as the host city for the 2014 Winter Olympics, so it is no stranger to the stresses of a major international sporting event.
What to do: As one of the most southerly in Russia, Sochi is the country's most popular summer resort city. There are plenty of sandy beaches and promenades on which you can take in the sun before a match.
Distance from Moscow: 846 miles
Stadium: Fisht Olympic Stadium (Capacity: 47,659)
Designed to look like a mountain range, the stadium served as the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics. It was renovated after the Olympics finished, with the retractable roof being removed and the capacity increased slightly. It was one of the venues used in the Confederation's Cup in 2017 and it is featured on the 100 ruble note.
Matches to be played here:
15 June 2018 21:00 – Portugal vs Spain – Group B
18 June 2018 18:00 – Belgium vs Panama – Group G
23 June 2018 18:00 – Germany vs Sweden – Group F
26 June 2018 17:00 – Australia vs Peru – Group C
30 June 2018 21:00 – 1A vs 2B – Round of 16
7 July 2018 21:00 – W51 vs W52 – Quarter Final
World Cup Host City Guides:
Sochi