1,000 days countdown before 2018 FIFA World Cup officially started in Kazan

 In Kazan, a countdown of 1,000 days before the 2018 FIFA World Cup has been officially started. Grand launching of counting was held today in 11 cities of Russia, which will host the Cup’s matches in 2018: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Sochi, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Saransk, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Kaliningrad, Samara.

Before the countdown ceremony, the tournament of Kazan amateur football league for the Cup of 1000 Days Before 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia is taking place in Kazan these days at a football stadium, Olymp.

The tournament consists of two stages: 1/32 finals matches were played on September 17, the final stage of the tournament was held today. Under the tournament‘s terms, each match consists of two halves of 15 minutes. The tournament format: 5x5 (four field players + 1 goalkeeper). About 1,000 people aged from 14 years have applied to participate in the event. It is worth noting that teams came from a completely different cities of the Volga region.

Winners and participants of the finals had the opportunity to make history by pushing a symbolic button, 1000 days countdown before the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, with Minister of Youth and Sport of Tatarstan Vladimir Leonov and Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin.

The countdown will be broadcast on the media facades of Kazan-Arena until the Cup start. It should be recalled that it is the Kazan-Arena stadium became the first facility built for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

An entertainment program, prizes giving from partners and various contests were organized in the framework of the event. Additionally, an official hashtag of the FIFA Cup, #Россия2018 (Russia2018), has been set in front of the Kazan Center for Family approved by FIFA as a venue for Fanfest.