Saran'sk; An Odd and Remote Host for Iran and Portugal

According to its population, Saran'sk is about the size of Malard and Kashan. The city's airport is very small, with flights limited to Moscow, the capital of Russia. The number of large hotels is less than the fingers on one hand. Saran'sk is probably the strangest city in vast Russia to have been chosen to host among dozens of other cities in the country. Among various cities in Russia, more than 50 have larger populations than Saran'sk and could have hosted football fans with better airports, hotels, and infrastructure. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, the typical reaction of Russians upon hearing the name Saran'sk as one of my destinations was one of surprise. Some shrugged and said it was a faraway place. Others referred to those always-hidden hands behind the scenes, suggesting that a decision was made for reasons unclear to anyone. The hosting of Saran'sk was so strange that FIFA had to publish explanations about this city and the number of its museums! However, neither these museums nor the extraordinary efforts of the city's residents to improve hosting quality help football fans looking for a place to stay. The city does not have enough hotels, and residents are asking astronomical prices between $300 to $1000 per night for renting their apartments. This issue has likely led some to predict that the matches in Saran'sk will be among the least attended. At least for Iranians, coming to Saran'sk had a major problem: the lack of hotels. The Saran'sk stadium has a capacity of 45,000, and there is a possibility that part of it will remain empty. Moreover, this modern and beautiful stadium is located in a city whose team plays in the third tier of the Russian league! Therefore, the use of this stadium after the World Cup is also facing questions. Additionally, for many Iranians who continued their World Cup journey from St. Petersburg to Kazan, there were no direct flights. The only way was to go to Moscow and change flights. However, despite all these troubles, those who managed to reach Saran'sk found themselves among warm-hearted locals in quiet streets and dilapidated buildings. Although many do not speak English, they are trying to be good hosts. The number of young volunteers in the city is significantly high, and they are almost everywhere to help football fans in any way they can. There are free concerts in the city, and FIFA has set up a large and equipped space for watching football and having fun. For many national team fans, Saran'sk is a place they might never have passed through if it weren't for the World Cup in Russia. Now that they are here, everyone is eagerly waiting for the match to see whether they will want to keep memories of Saran'sk or if it would be better to completely forget this city! The fate of Saran'sk and its place in the hearts of Iranian national team fans will be determined after the match.