Name in Russian: Екатеринбýрг
Population: 1,349,772
Average June temperature: 17.1°C
History: Founded in 1723, Yekaterinburg is the fourth largest city in Russia and is the furthest east of the World Cup host sites, on the other side of the Ural Mountains. It was named after the wife of Peter the Great, Yekaterina, who later became Catherine I of Imperial Russia. Located in the Sverdlovsk Oblast, it is one of the main cultural and economic centres of Eastern Russia, and for centuries has been known as the 'Window to Asia' due to it's strategic location along the east-west trade route.
What to do: As a cultural hub, Yekaterinburg is home to many libraries and museums as well as the Vysotskiy Viewing Platform, which gives panoramic views over the entire city.
Distance from Moscow: 1,036 miles
Stadium: Yekaterinburg Arena (Capacity: 35,696)
The Yekaterinburg Arena will feature a unique design, never seen before, as the two stands behind each goal have been extended outside the confines of the stadium. This is to ensure that the ground meets the minimum capacity requirements set by FIFA to host World Cup matches. It is the only venue in Asian Russia. When the tournament is finished, 12,000 of the seats will be removed and capacity reduced to 23,000. Russian Premier League side, FC Ural Yekaterinburg, play their home games here.
Matches to be played here:
15 June 2018 17:00 – Egypt vs Uruguay – Group A
21 June 2018 17:00 – France vs Peru – Group C
24 June 2018 20:00 – Japan vs Senegal – Group H
27 June 2018 19:00 – Mexico vs Sweden – Group F
World Cup Host City Guides:
Yekaterinburg