Skip to main content

Luzhniki Stadium to stage 2018 World Cup final

The Luzhniki, which has a 90,000 capacity, will also stage the opening match and a semi-final following approval by FIFA's executive committee. St Petersburg will stage the other semi-final.

Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi were approved as venues for the 2017 Confederations Cup, also to be held in Russia, FIFA said.

In a separate decision, Kosovo, which is not a FIFA member, was given permission to play friendly matches at "youth, amateur, women's and club football" level.

Moscow's Luzhniki uses an artificial pitch because of the frigid Russian winters although a natural pitch was laid for the 2008 Champions League final, staged at the stadium.