I. Metshin about the site of the World Cup fanfest-2018: “We will get a comfortable territory, convenient for the citizens”

(KZN.RU, December 18, Alsu Safina) The preparation of the fanfest site, which will work in the days of the World Cup-2018 Russia, began in Kazan. The fanfest will be held on the territory of the Family Center “Kazan” next summer. It is expected that more than 1 million fans will visit the site in a month. Kazan was the first of 11 city-organizers to receive official screening equipment for the fanfest.

“We have the project, the work has started, this is a very important venue”, said Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan, on the Business Monday. “There are a lot of things that we need to do. There is not much time, taking into account the weather conditions of January and February. But we know about this and we need to do everything on time and with quality”.

The Mayor drew attention to the fact that residents of the city will receive a new platform after the championship. “We will receive another large well-maintained territory, convenient for the citizens”, said I. Metshin.

Damir Fattakhov, the first deputy head of the Executive Committee, said that now the works on the construction of temporary infrastructure, sewerage, and water supply networks have started on the site, which will be used all year round in the future. The works for the installation of video surveillance, wi-fi, and wired Internet are in the final stage of readiness.

The speaker noted that the FIFA constantly monitors the preparation of the festival. “Kazan is the only one of all 11 city-organizers who received an official screening agreement for the fanfest, which is an obligatory FIFA procedure”, he said.

The territory at the Family Center will be divided into 5 different zones. The first zone will include the main stage with a screen, light and sound equipment, pavilions of sponsors and partners of the FIFA, as well as the main entrance with inspection equipment. “The best bands of Kazan and Tatarstan will perform for the fans on the main stage in addition to the broadcast of football matches”, said D. Fattahov.

The second zone includes places for the activity of fans and the main restaurant of the festival. “It is planned to organize master classes on football freestyle, art installations and much more”, noted the first deputy head of the Executive Committee. “By the instructions of the Mayor, we are working on additional creative activities for this zone that will allow us to present the unique image of Kazan and Tatarstan for the fans”.

The third zone in the building of the Family Center “Kazan” is intended for accredited persons. There will be a media center, a zone for broadcasters, a volunteer center, a festival management center, and a joint security center. Places of deployment of power structures will be in the fourth zone, from the point of rental of boats and catamarans. There will be storage rooms in the fifth zone in front of the entrance from the side of Sibgat Hakim Str.

“It is known that the festival site is a more visited object than the stadium. Given the free entrance to the festival, it is expected that more than 1 million fans will visit the site in a month”, said D. Fattahov.

From May 25 to July 25, 2018, restriction movement on the street S. Hakima will be imposed in Kazan. “According to the recommendations of the law enforcement agencies and thanks to the support of the RT, the decision was made to build a new road along Bondarenko Street. This section of the road will ease the load when the main part of the audience leaves the site and will give access to the residents of houses that were isolated from the roads to their places of residence in the current traffic control plan”, explained D. Fattakhov.

Also, the improvement of the area from the metro station “Kozya Sloboda” to the venue of the fanfest is planned within the framework of the program for the development of public spaces.

800 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other departments, 250 employees of private security companies and stewards will ensure safety at the festival. The medical center will work on the site, the duty of ambulances and firefighters are organized.

The Football World Cup will be held from June 14 to July 15, 2018, in 11 Russian cities. By results of the draw, teams, which will play at the Kazan Arena in the group stage, were determined: France – Australia (June 16), Spain – Iran (June 20), Poland – Colombia (June 24), Germany – South Korea (June 27). Also, Kazan will take one of the matches of the 1/8 finals and one of the quarterfinals.