The FIFA Fan Festival opened at the Family Center “Kazan”

Residents and fans gathered to watch the broadcast of the opening and the first match between the national teams of Russia and Saudi Arabia.

(KZN.RU, June 14). The FIFA Fan Fest was opened in the capital of Tatarstan at the site of the Family Center “Kazan”, the only official venue for watching matches of the World Cup on football outside the stadium “Kazan Arena”. On the first day of the World Cup, residents and guests of Kazan, amateurs and real football fans, including foreign fans, gathered here. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of Tatarstan, gave the start of the festival fr om the stage. The ex-footballers of the Kazan “Rubin” Gekdeniz Karadeniz and Sergey Ryzhikov also took part in the event.

Before the opening of the festival, the President of the RT inspected the site of the Fan Fest. Many guests of the holiday were interested in a huge chak-chak in the form of a football field with a hemisphere of the ball. The Tatar national treat turned out to be 4026.4 kg and was recognized by experts of the Russian Book of Records as the largest chak-chak in the world. In the presence of honorable guests, the expert of the Russian Book of Records presented Guzel Ananieva, the head of the Department of Food and Social Catering, with a certificate of a new fixed record of the country.

Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT, footballers Sergey Ryzhikov and Gekdeniz Karadeniz, Kurban Berdyev, the head coach of the Kazan football club “Rubin”, Farida Davydova, the daughter of the legendary cook, author of the book about Tatar cooking Yunus Ahmetzyanov, Mikhail Kuznetsov, winner of the culinary arts competitions, cut the chak-chak. All those who came to the feast could try the treat. In addition, the chak-chak will be sent to the social institutions of the republic.

The theatrical show “Welcome to Kazan! Welcome to Russia!” about the traditions of Kazan, Tatarstan, and Russia and the country's sports heritage was presented on the site of the Fan Fest. The creative collectives of Kazan and the republic performed on the stage: the State Song and Dance Ensemble of the RT, the State Chamber Choir of the RT, the Kazan Dance Ensemble, the Drum Show “Drum Time”, the break-band “Action Man Crew”, the Theater Show “Sharm”, the Dance Theater “Mgnovenie”, the dance theater “The Road from the City”, the show-ballet “Kristall”, the trio “Versiya”, as well as the vocalists Alina Sharipzhanova, Radik Salimov, Roman Plekhanov, MC ZALI, Artur Khairulin, Maksim Prokhorov, Dilyara Vagapova, and the band “Murakami”.

Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of Tatarstan, gave the official start of the Fan Fest from the stage. “Today we gathered at this site, on the opening day of the World Cup in our country. It's a great honor for us to host this tournament in Kazan”, said the head of the republic. He recalled that the opening match will take place today in Moscow, wh ere the teams of Russia and Saudi Arabia will play. Two days later, the first match between the national teams of Australia and France will be hosted by the capital of the RT. “This venue is specially created for football fans, for guests. I want to wish you a beautiful football, a good time so that you liked Kazan and come back here once again”, said R. Minnikhanov.

Gekdeniz Karadeniz and Sergey Ryzhikov also greeted all the guests. “This big football holiday is finally happening. Support your teams! We will cheer for our team. When we are united, we are invincible! Go Russia!”, Sergey Ryzhikov said before the first match.

After the welcoming words, the wolf Zabivaka, the symbol of the World Cup, came out. Zabivaka together with football players sent big inflatable balls to the fans.

After opening, a live broadcast of the opening ceremony of the championship began in Moscow. Robbie Williams, a famous singer, and Aida Garifullina, the famous opera singer, soloist of the Vienna State Opera, took part in it. After the ceremony, a match-opening will be held at the stadium “Luzhniki” in Moscow between the national teams of Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The site of the Fan Fest will work daily, except June 29, and July 5, 8, 9, 12, and 13, until the last day of the World Cup. The final game will be held on July 15. The site can host 25 thousand people at the same time. The entrance to the Fan Fest on the match days will be free. 220 city volunteers will help guests and fans.

Fans will be able to purchase products with official championship symbols and national souvenirs in the stores, visit the pavilions of FIFA partners and sponsors. At the festival site, guests can have a snack (sandwiches, hot dogs, French fries, pizza, chips and various snacks), try the Tatar national dishes chak-chak, echpechmak, gubadiya, and baursak. The main restaurant the will offer dishes of international cuisine and traditional dishes of national cuisine of Tatarstan peoples, as well as Halal dishes and vegetarian cuisine.

Photo report

The opening of the Fan Fest, 06/14/2018