Fisht Stadium and Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games

The challenge was threefold: to convince the International Olympic Committee that Russia had both the vision and the infrastructure to host such a major event; to develop the popular summertime coastal resort of Sochi into a world class destination for winter sports, and to design a stadium flexible enough to facilitate the Olympic ceremonies, then act as a venue for FIFA World Cup matches and, finally, become the home venue for a local football team.

Sochi 2014 marked the first time that an Olympic Park had been designed as part of a Winter Games masterplan. This unusual step set a unique legacy for the Games, marking Sochi out as a winter destination for decades to come. Within the park, the main level of the stadium is raised on a landscaped mound, providing stunning views from within. The unique engineering systems enabled truly memorable opening and closing ceremonies while, post-Games, the in-built flexibility of the stadium’s design means its capacity can change over time to provide event configurations from 45,000 seats for FIFA World Cup matches in 2018 to a compact, atmospheric 25,000 for local matches.

Winning the bid for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games not only reinstated Russia’s reputation as a viable host for major events, but transformed Sochi itself. The infrastructure that Populous’ work helped create has regenerated the region, marking Sochi out as a year-round tourist destination, and a major new European winter sports centre.