Officials for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia have pledged to make improvements to Luzhniki Stadium following complaints from fans.
After the friendly match between Russia and Argentina, fans stated that it took more than two hours to walk to the nearest metro station.
Supporters also highlighted that they were forced to remain in the stands for more than 30 minutes following the final whistle due to jams at exits.
Vladimir Chernikov, head of Moscow’s security department, said that the bottlenecks were the result of ongoing works at the station. He added that there would be an increase in the number of shuttles from the stadium to the metro station in the near future.
“Security of the spectators was adequately managed,” Chernikov said, according to the AFP news agency.
Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, the venue for the opening match and final of next year’s Fifa World Cup in Russia, reopened for the friendly match after the venue had been undergoing reconstruction work in preparation the football showpiece.
The Luzhniki Stadium’s capacity has been increased from 78,000 to 81,000, with the venue’s stands now featuring a much steeper incline after being moved closer to the pitch. The stadium’s roof has also been replaced with a huge media screen.
Russia’s deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, who is also president of the country’s football federation, said the match had been a key test for the World Cup organisers and lessons would be learned.
He said: “We need to analyse all the organisational aspects of Saturday’s match and make the necessary corrections to ensure full comfort and security for football fans in the future.”
