Recent months brought many news about these stadiums. As Russia’s mega event project launches, only one stadium may be kept in the previously estimated budget. Two stadia will soon see groundbreaking.

Within a week we should see the signing of revised construction contract for the Nizhny Novgorod stadium. Meanwhile in two weeks demolition of the Volgograd’s Rotor Stadion should begin.

Both these stadiums were subject to controversy since June, when the selected contractor, Stroitransgaz, demanded more money than had agreed to. In a time-saving attempt authorities approved the demand, meaning that the Nizhny Novgorod project will cost RUB 17 billion (€340m / $430m), while the one in Volgograd – 16.4 billion (€330m / $415m).

The price tag means a skyrocketing 64-70% increase from the 2010 estimates, when president Putin promised to deliver each stadium with roughly 10 billion. That seem a very generous amount back then, but was later revised upwards, to 15 billion. Now it seems only one stadium may be built within that cap – the Samara venue priced at 13.1 billion.