FIFA has received "guarantees" from Russia that the stadium which will host the 2018 World Cup semifinal will be ready by the end of this year, according to the AFP. Construction of the new 68,000-seat stadium in Saint Petersburg -- one of the most expensive in the world -- "had been stalled since mid-July because of a dispute between the former project manager and local authorities." FIFA Competitions Dir Colin Smith said, "We have received new guarantees from the government, who have assured us that the stadium will be ready before the end of the year. We're satisfied with the progress of work on the stadium." The project got under way in '07 on a budget initially estimated at 6.9B rubles, but should finally cost 39.2B rubles ($610M), "making it one of the most expensive stadiums ever" (AFP, 9/10).
POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE: The Scotland DAILY RECORD reported Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow's new stadium "was officially opened and the night sky was lit up in a stunning display of pyrotechnics." The 30,000-capacity stadium has been a "long time in coming," with construction having started in '07. Completion of the stadium was expected in '09-10, "but legal problems led to the project being halted a number of times," with the longest lay out lasting 16 months between '09 and '11. The stadium hosts offices, a 48-room hotel and 1,400 car parking spaces, and in the corner stands a 38-story skyscraper, modeled on the UEFA Cup won by CSKA in '05 (DAILY RECORD, 9/11).
