Otkritie Arena (Moscow)

Otkritie Arena is a long-awaited stadium, which has become the home arena for Moscow Spartak. Surprisingly, one of the most popular teams in Russia before that did not have its own stadium.

General information

Official website: otkritiearena.ru

Capacity: 45, 360 seats

Address: Volokolamskoye sh., 69, Moscow, Russia, 125424

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 55.8178° N, 37.4406° E

Year of construction: 2007-2014

Field: 105 x 68 m

The total area of ​​grass lawn: 8 970 sq.m.

Scoreboard: electronic

Field: natural

Construction cost: 14.5 billion rubles

Scheme of seats, sectors, stands in Otkritie Arena

How to get to the stadium

Underground

You can get to the stadium by reaching the two nearest metro stations — Spartak (3-5 minutes to the arena on foot) and Tushinskaya (7-10 minutes to the arena on foot). Spartak metro station operates in normal mode on match days, both at the entrance and at the exit of passengers.

Personal vehicles

On match days, entry to the stadium territory by car will be carried out only on seasonal passes issued upon purchase of a subscription and one-time passes. Today, the stadium territory is designed for a limited number of parking spaces, so there will be no possibility to place cars without the pass indicated above.

Ground urban transport

Near the Tushinskaya metro station, a large number of buses and minibuses stop.

1. Buses: 2, 88, 210, 248, 266, 372, 400t, 409, 436, 450, 455, 460 m, 464, 467, 540, 541, 542, 549, 568, 575, 614, 631, 640, 741, 741k, 777, 904, 904k, 930, 961, 964.
2. Minibuses: 117m, 151, 209, 326, 450m, 468m, 475m, 498, 541, 566, 575, 631m, 741, 856.

Local train

Next to the Tushinskaya metro station is the Tushino railway station, from which you can take a train to the Kursk or Riga station, as well as to the following stations: Nakhabino, Dedovsk, Novoiyerusalimskaya, Rumyantsevo, Volokolamsk, Shakhovskaya, Depot, Tsaritsyno, Krasnyy Stroitel’, Shcherbinka, Podolsk, Lviv, Stolbovaya, Chekhov, Serpukhov, Revyakino.

Stadium Facts

Spartak Stadium was the first renamed arena in the modern history of Russian football. The club management has signed a long-term contract with the financial corporation Otkritie, in whose honor the arena was named. The deal has become extremely profitable for the “national team”, since 6 million euros a year dropped into the club’s account from the air.

The Otkritie Arena was officially opened on September 5, 2014 with a friendly match between Spartak and Red Star ending in a 1-1 draw. The choice of the Serbian team as an opponent is not accidental — the fact is that the fans of both teams have long been connected by friendship. Out of 37 with a few thousand spectators who were at the match, more than 5,000 came to support a friendly club from Serbia.

Many well-known companies fought for the arena project, but in the end, the right to design a new Spartak stadium went to the American AECOM. The cost of “Otkritie Arena” has repeatedly changed. In 2007, a figure of 150 million euros was announced, later, in 2009, when the global crisis came, the owner of Spartak Leonid Fedun said that much less would be spent on the creation of the arena, however, as it happens in most cases of sports construction in Russia, at the finish of the creation of the facility, it was announced that Otkritie Arena cost its creators 14.5 billion rubles, which at that time was equivalent to $480 million.

At the time of construction of the sports facility, various versions of its name were being worked out. The most obvious, which eventually came to, was the banal, but fully reflecting the whole essence of the idea of ​​construction, the name “Spartak”. Two other interesting versions were also voiced: “The New Coliseum”, although from the historical point of view the so-called arena would not have been quite literate, because during the life of the gladiator Spartacus the Colosseum was not nearly laid down. The second version of the name was the “Starostin Brothers Stadium”, but when it became known that the 2018 World Cup matches will be held on this arena, this option was quickly dismissed aside, because according to FIFA regulations it is not allowed to name the arenas in someone’s honor.

Back in 1975, near the place where the stadium is now located, the construction of the Volokolamskaya metro station was suspended. In 2013, in connection with the creation of a large-scale football arena, Moscow authorities resumed construction of the metro station. At the end of August 2014, an updated Moscow metro station, called “Spartak” (today the station of the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya line) opened its doors to football fans.

Stadium infrastructure

Otkritie Arena (and the adjacent territory with a total area of ​​36,000 square meters) today is a multifunctional complex that can hold not only football matches, but also a huge variety of events, ranging from mini art exhibitions to large-scale open concerts — air.

Under the arches of the stadium on the 3rd floor of the VIP-tribune there are 3 modern restaurants — Silver, Gold and Platinum. At the same time, when fully loaded, they are able to accommodate more than 1000 guests. A unique design, an excellent menu from the best chefs will make any holiday, corporate or wedding celebration special. As a “highlight” – a panoramic view of the football field, which is an excellent option if you want to arrange an event in a place belonging to the club for which you are a fan.

On the ground floor, VIP-tribunes are open and a sports bar with the uncomplicated but at the same time quite creative name SPORT BAR is operating very successfully. This place is in great demand among Spartak fans, who come here to cheer for their favorite team when they play away, and it is not possible to support it in the stands of someone else’s stadium. This place is saturated with a special touch, as everything here is made in white and red colors of the Moscow club. SPORT BAR will easily accommodate up to 180 football fans. The menu includes beer and signature snacks. It also hosts gastronomic master classes from the best chefs of Russia and Europe, tasting events, plus all-Russian competitions among bartenders.

Next to the sports bar is a compact ultramodern room equipped with the latest technology for holding press conferences for up to 150 people. From the equipment: large screen, multimedia projector, sound system and 4 booths for simultaneous translation. The Otkritie Arena Press Center can be used not only for meetings with the participation of sports media. Without problems, you can conduct trainings, corporate and educational master classes and even auctions.

VIP lounges are a special place in the stadium. The Otkritie Arena is designed in such a way that VIP guests can safely declare their view of the football field is the best. Here they offer broadband Wi-fi, the TV panel where you can see a match live or replay to watch all that you could not see on the football field for one reason or another. One object for a special category of guests is able to accommodate a maximum of 12 people. In total, there are 65 VIP lounges at the stadium, many of which are redeemed before the start of the season by type of subscription. The rental price for one match depends on its importance and can vary from 120,000 to 850,000.

If you cannot imagine your life without football being watched directly at the stadium, and not on TV screens, if you have children and you have nowhere to leave them on the day of the match, then the Spartak Kids’ kids room at the Otkritie Arena is the best solution. Located on the VIP-tribune, the room is equipped with bright, state-of-the-art entertainment equipment and educational games. Only the most highly qualified teachers work in the children’s room. This room is not only an ideal option to leave your child for 2 hours and not worry about them during a football match; here you can easily spend a birthday or any other children’s holiday that can host up to 30 little guests.

The second floor of the VIP-tribune has a large-capacity food court (up to 1000 people at a time). Like a sports bar, it is decorated in the corporate colors of Spartak. It hosts medium and large events, fairs, exhibitions and corporate events of large metropolitan companies.

On the second floor there is a sports attributes store Red-White Store, where, as you might guess, you can buy scarves, T-shirts, mugs, hats, official T-shirts of players with Spartak symbols. The workers themselves unanimously declare that the fan shop of “red-whites” — the largest not only in Russia, but throughout Europe.

The Spartak Hall of Fame is open at the stadium, so if you want to see more than 600 rare artifacts belonging to legendary football players and team coaches, see the most memorable passages from Spartak matches, choose the best of the best on unique multimedia equipment, then be sure to visit this place and learn firsthand the history of one of the most popular clubs in the country.

In August 2014, a bronze cast monument to the Starostin brothers, the legendary Soviet football players and sports figures who laid the foundations for Moscow Spartak, was erected near a football field next to the B stand. A little later, in 2015, a 25-meter (along with a pedestal) statue of a gladiator was opened next to the stadium. Before each home match of Spartak, anyone can take part in an excursion around the stadium, during which they will get the opportunity to get acquainted with the internal architecture of the stadium, the FC Spartak museum, the locker rooms of football players, inspect the commentary booths, and even go to the edge of the field and get to the bench of replacement players.

Sport events

As for the opening match between Spartak and Red Star it was said a little higher: it was a significant event, but not an official one. However, the first official match at the Otkritie Arena turned out to be interesting: in the 7th round of the Premier League 2014/15 in Moscow derby between Spartak and Torpedo the score was 3:1 in favor of the “red-whites”.

The national team began to play in the Otkritie Arena in mid-October 2014. The qualifying match for the right to participate in EURO 2016 between Russia and Moldova did not bring the owners anything good – 1:1. Modest, even by European standards, the Moldavian squad almost made a sensation, having missed the only goal from the penalty spot.

The debut of Otkritie Arena in European competitions was marked by complete collapse for Spartak: after a good result in the form of a draw 1:1 on the road with Cyprus AEK, Muscovites sensationally lost 0:1 at home and flew out of the Europa League. The following year, in the 2016/17 season, Spartak, as the country’s champion, started in the Champions League and immediately faced off with European tops in the form of Liverpool and Seville. With the British, “red-whites” shared points (1:1), but the victory over the Spanish team with a score of 5:1 is recognized by many as the best game of Spartak in its modern history.

In the summer of 2017, at Otkritie Arena, which at the time of the previous Confederations Cup World Championship had returned the old name Spartak, 4 matches of the tournament were played. The Russian team took part in one game, losing to Portugal 0:1. By the way, then in a duel for 3rd place, the Portuguese defeated the Mexicans in the presence of almost 43,000 spectators.

In 2018, Otkritie Arena hosted 5 World Cup matches — 4 were held in the group stage, 1 — in the playoffs. The knockout round match turned out to be the most dramatic: a couple of minutes before the final whistle, England missed from Colombia, but in the end they managed to get the upper hand after winning the penalty shootout. One of the three most productive matches of the tournament between Belgium and Tunisia (5:2) was also played at the Otkritie Arena, and in the very first match between Argentina and Iceland (1:1), Leo Messi, recognized by many as the best football player in history, could not score penalty.

Cultural activities

Thanks to the excellent acoustic system, lighting and sound equipment delivered here directly from the factories of the world’s leading manufacturers, Otkritie Arena can easily become a venue for major events and concerts.

The stadium hosted the large-scale Maksidrom festival organized by the Maximum radio. On the main stage, in the presence of more than 40,000 spectators, Leroy Thornhill (DJ, ex-member of the Prodigy band), IAMX and the legendary German rockers from Rammstein “burned” the stage.

Also under the arches of Otkritie Arena no less large festival Park Live was held. In the first year of the show, it lasted 1 day, and the famous British band Muse performed as a headliner. The following year, the organizers exceeded their success by dividing the show program by 2 days; on the first day Splean warmed up the crowd, and it all ended just with an enchanting show of rock legends Red Hot Chili Peppers, on the second, the incomparable Lana del Rey appeared on the scene. The scandalous Russian group Leningrad had a sold-out at the Otkritie Arena. Also here, the legendary band Depeche Mode and the hard rock band Guns N ‘ Roses performed.