Ak Bars Arena and the city of Kazan

Rubin play at the Ak Bars Arena, a 45,000-seat stadium opened in 2013 on the bank of the Kazanka river, a short distance from the historic centre.

The stadium

Built for the 2013 Summer Universiade, it was designed by the same practice responsible for several English Premier League grounds. Its curved roof and the large media screen fixed to the outer facade, one of the biggest in Europe when it opened, are its most recognisable features.

Major events

Beyond league football, the ground has staged the World Aquatics Championships, for which two temporary pools were installed on the pitch, matches of the 2017 Confederations Cup and of the 2018 World Cup, including a quarter-final.

Kazan

Capital of Tatarstan, at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka, the city is one of the oldest in the region. Its kremlin, a walled citadel where the Qolsharif mosque stands beside an Orthodox cathedral, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Getting around

Kazan has the newest metro system in the country, opened in 2005, with signage in Tatar, Russian and English. The stadium is served by a nearby station and by shuttle buses on matchdays.