• Ekaterinburg Arena to have temporary stands outside the stadium • World Cup stadiums must have minimum capacity of 35,000 spectators

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

World Cup stadiums come in all shapes and sizes but next year’s tournament in Russia will break new ground with fans at one venue seated outside.

Architects working on the Ekaterinburg Arena have come up with a unique answer to the tricky question: how do you seat the Fifa-sanctioned minimum of 35,000 spectators when the stadium has a capacity of many thousands less? Simply build a stand outside.

FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) The Ekaterinburg Arena is beginning to look 👌#WorldCup



📸➡️https://t.co/EuxMcPOR75 pic.twitter.com/DQvd4huAjs

The change, which incorporates extra seating behind both goals, will allow the stadium to host four group games taking pace at the home of the Russian Premier League side FC Ural before being removed after the World Cup is over.

The stadium was built in 1957 and is one of 12 venues across 11 cities which will be used in the 2018 World Cup.

A Fifa spokesperson said: “In the case of Ekaterinburg, temporary seats are being installed in order to ensure that the renovation work would conserve the historical façade of the stadium and that maintenance costs are reduced after the Fifa World Cup. Inspection visits and detailed reports have shown that the temporary seats in the Ekaterinburg Arena fully comply with all safety and security requirements.”