I have just landed in Saint Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city, with a population roughly equal to my home province of British Columbia, Canada.
WHY ARE YOU IN RUSSIA, NICK?!?!
Great question.
I’m in Russia for two weeks, following Iran through the group stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. A few friends and colleagues suggested it would be neat to publish some observations throughout my time here. During my visit here, I have three matches, Iran vs: Morocco (Saint Petersburg), Spain (Kazan), and Portugal (Saransk). The majority of my stay will be spread between Saint Petersburg and Moscow, where I’ll hope to catch another game or two. From a soccer standpoint, seeing Spain and Portugal is a dream. Portugal has arguably one of the greatest soccer players ever (Ronaldo) and Spain is a recent champion and a leading contender to win again this tournament.
Departing from Vancouver I wore my red Team Canada jersey, to show my excitement at the news that the United Bid (including Canada, Mexico, U.S.A.) will be the hosts of the 2026. This is obviously tremendous news not only for our country, but for youth soccer in North America. It’s disappointing Vancouver won’t be included, and this will primarily harm those who can’t afford to travel to any of the other proposed cities. I got a lot of high fives and congratulations on my journey over here, as if I had anything to do with the bid . Still cool!
Arriving to the country the day of the opening match, Russia vs. Saudi Arabia, you could sense the anticipation in the air. I quickly dropped off my bags at the hostel and joined some newly-made friends at a bar to watch. We sat awkwardly when the majority Russian crowd stood for their nation’s anthem and sang it patriotically. The game turned out to be a doozy, with the hosts thrashing the oil-rich Kingdom 5–0. Lots of jokes about what will happen to the Saudi Arabian players when they go home. Talking to some Americans, I was taken aback by what they revealed: if it wasn't for the World Cup - where nations must grant visa-free access to fans - they likely would have enormous difficulty coming to Russia. It's something we Canadians likely take for granted, the freedom to travel the world.
The street is where the fun started. Tons and tons of fans of all nations flooded the streets to celebrate Russia’s victory, late into the night. Due to how north Saint Petersburg, it is quite light out well into the evening - 10:30 p.m. roughly, and it gets light again around 2:30 a.m. if you manage to stay out that long - not a tough task in this country. A reoccurring theme, I sense, throughout my time here will be spent pumping the praises of the host country. The people here are fantastic, and no I haven't been converted into a Russian sleeper agent. They're genuinely excited to be hosting what they refer to as, "the Championship."
The second day, and the first game, arrived quickly. The Iranian fans chanted all the way to the stadium on the train - which is free on game days for fans. Streaming into the stadium, I was struck by the high security in place. There’s huge barrier circling the stadium a few kilometres wide, that essentially separates the entrance from the stadium. To get into the stadium you go through a maze, before you are asked to scan both your ticket and your FAN ID. The FAN ID being a unique identification badge that is required to not only attend a game, but gain access to the fan zones. I’m told this is the first year they have done something like this. The tickets themselves have a chip inside, so counter-fitting is not an easy task. And once you're in, you're in. No in-and-out privileges. Even entering through a different section is a no-no. You're required to enter through your specific gate and section. It's a tight operation, manned by thousands of staff.
Once in the stadium, you mainly see the logos of three of the main sponsors: Visa, Coca-Cola and Budweiser. Beer is 350 rubles for 450 millilitres (a tall can), which roughly works out to about $7 Canadian, so I felt right at home. The stadium was buzzing. It was hard to get a sense of who truly had an advantage in numbers, Morocco or Iran, but noise-wise, there was no question: the Iranian fans were louder. The atmosphere was lively and jovial, and our section of the stadium decided to stand for most of the game, which was met with resistance from some people in the rear. The response? We're at the World Cup, not a movie theatre.
The game itself was pretty sleepy for 60 minutes, with both teams trading chances. And if it wasn’t for a miracle own goal in stoppage time by Morocco, the game would have ended a dreary 0–0 draw. But sports are games of inches, and lady luck is your best friend. The fans stayed late, as did the players as they cheered around the stadium to their travelling fans, a classy move. Iran, winning their first World Cup game in 20 years, stood atop Group B. The celebration went late into the night, and surely many fans are nursing headaches Saturday morning. I know I am.
Things I dislike about Russia:
-How nice they all are. Whatever happen to that tough Russian personality I have been fed my entire life?
-How nice opposing fans are. Where is the trash talk? As a hockey fan I am used to getting absolutely roasted when I wear my Canucks jersey around fans of any other team. Here I get hugs and selfies.
Things I love about Russia
-The atmosphere. Having experienced Vancouver 2010, I'm having flashbacks.
-The mix of nations: everyone from Colombians, to Americans, to Koreans. It's a glorious sight.
Nick Hosseinzadeh is a Canadian with Iranian heritage and a longtime resident of the North Shore. He’ll be sending back regular dispatches during his time in Russia to give our readers a feel for the World Cup away from the TV cameras.
