And a massive cost rise following with the stadium already priced at more than double the initial amount. All this before any construction work has even began.

Samara is well behind most Russian hosts of the 2018 World Cup as the city doesn’t have a design for their new stadium yet and has only now established a location for it. It’s already the third plot selected. First, in 2010, the ground was to be erected on a remote island west of the city, but that was dropped after it was decided that it’s indeed too remote – without even a bridge at this point.

Another site was just several hundred meters north, on a dockland site within the city fabric. This is the location FIFA delegates have seen before making Samara officially a host city in September.

This also won’t be the place as now there’s been a fundamental switch to the opposite end of the city. This will bring the venue closer to the airport and new highway, currently under construction.

All these decisions seem costly as the budget of the project is rising very fast. In 2010 it was only $180 million. Then in 2011 over $300 million. And now it’s announced to stand at $430 million. And all this before work has even began.