The quadrennial sports event is upon us, and there’s no escaping the media circus that surrounds it. The host country for the 2018 World Cup is Russia, who won their bid with an impressive 13 votes (out of 22) in the final round. World Cup fever has truly hit, with almost 67,000 fans visiting Moscow’s FIFA Fan Fest on the opening day of the tournament. They were treated to a goal-fest, as the hosts put 5 past Saudi Arabia without reply.
Fan-Tastic Finals
Fans will be travelling by the thousands to cheer their team to glory. The main event, or final match, will be held on 15th July at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Of the 32 teams which qualified for the event, Panama and Iceland are the only teams who have never previously qualified for the World Cup Finals. Iceland is home to only 330,000 people; the smallest nation to ever qualify. 66,000 Iceland fans requested tickets, meaning 20% of the island will be at the World Cup. So, if you’ve ever wanted to travel to Iceland, now might be the right time since there’ll be plenty of hotel and/or AirBNB spaces available.
The Russians are being incredibly gracious hosts to World Cup travelers. Due to the distance between each host city, the Russian Government have added 728 trains to transport spectators who hold a FAN ID and match ticket for free between the cities. Not only that, but on match days, host cities will provide free transport to and from the airports, as well as in, and around the host cities.
If Your Team Loses Out, You Can Still Lounge About
Priority Pass is pleased to announce airport lounges are available in 10 of the 11 Russian host cities. So whether you’re suffering heartache, heartbreak or have a reason to celebrate as you head home from the World Cup, there’s a place for you to escape and enjoy yourself as you reflect on your team’s performance.
Aeroflot offer lounges in St. Petersburg Pulkovo (LED) for both international and domestic flights – good news if you’re travelling between cities to follow your team. You can also make use of our recently released airport guide when visiting the Russian city for tips about transportation, parking and hotels.
The final group game at the St. Petersburg Stadium takes place on June 26th , where Nigeria will host the two-time World Champion, Argentina. In the knockout stages, a round of 16 game, semi-finals and 3rd place play-off games will be hosted at the 67,000 capacity stadium on the coast of the Baltic Sea.
If you’re visiting Moscow, you’re lucky enough to not only have access to 21 airport lounges across 3 airports to your advantage, but Priority Pass Members are also able to gain access to the new railway lounges in both Kursky and Leningradsky stations. So, if you’re taking advantage of the free travel put on by Russia for the tournament, then you’ve got quite the treat in store for you before you leave.
Standout Stadiums
It’s fair to say that each stadium being used in the 2018 World Cup has its own “wow factor.” The venues in Luzhniki, Yekaterinburg and Sochi were extensively renovated to meet the minimum requirements set by FIFA, while the 9 other stadiums have been built from scratch – thus providing modern designs, with the fans at the forefront of their mind.
Of the 12 venues, fans may want to visit the incredible Central Stadium in Yekaterinburg, recently made viral by the somewhat strange logistics behind it. To meet FIFA requirements on capacity, temporary seating was erected at both ends of the stadium, which actually stretches outside the usual boundaries of the stadium itself in order to meet the 35,000 capacity requirement.
Thankfully, the average temperature in Yekaterinburg during June/July is 63/66°F (17/19°C), so the fans who are exposed to the elements shouldn’t feel the full wrath of usually-cool Russian weather.
If you’re unsure about what the benefits of becoming a Priority Pass Member are, take a look at the vlog that the brilliant Josh and Ashley Brown from The Way Away shot when they were in desperate need of a freshen up. With free Wi-Fi available in most lounges, it’s easy to connect and catch up with the latest news coming from the World Cup camps, and power up your devices if they need a bit of extra juice.
With Russia predicting over 2 million fans to visit during the tournament, you’re going to want to find some peace and quiet away from the crowds, and our lounges offer exactly that. Relax and refresh while you await your flight (or train), whether you’re heading home, or travelling to another host city. With both domestic and international lounges available, Priority Pass opens up a whole new world to suit your particular travelling needs.