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Moscow · Russia

Megasport Arena: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Residents around Khodynka Field plan their evening commutes around the crowds heading to the sports palace.

Megasport Sport Palace · CC BY-SA 4.0

About the place
About the place

Constructed on the historic aviation grounds of Khodynka Field, Megasport Arena stands as an expansive indoor venue engineered for elite athletics and continental tournaments.

The venue stands on Khodynka Field as a premier indoor palace designed primarily for ice hockey and professional basketball. Originally referred to as the Ice Sport Palace and Khodynka Arena, the building carries the name of Soviet ice hockey coach Anatoly Tarasov. Foundation work began following a municipal ceremony led by the city mayor, establishing a multi-tier stadium capable of handling major continental tournaments.

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Beyond regular league matches, the arena functions as an emergency host for international athletics. When an earthquake and tsunami forced Tokyo to abandon the World Figure Skating Championships, skating authorities relocated the entire competition to this building. The complex also staged heavyweight boxing title bouts, the European Curling Championships, and continental volleyball finals alongside matches for Spartak and CSKA.

Associations
  • Khodynka FieldThe historic airfield district where the arena was constructed.
  • Anatoly TarasovThe legendary Soviet ice hockey coach whose name the palace carries.
  • World Figure Skating ChampionshipsEmergency replacement host after an earthquake forced Tokyo to cancel.
  • Matchday TrafficSurrounding streets face severe transit congestion during major games.
  • CSKA MoscowThe club staged regular continental basketball fixtures on this court.
Facts
  • The venue took the official name of Soviet ice hockey coach Anatoly Tarasov.
  • Former Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov placed a capsule into the foundation during initial ground breaking.
  • International officials moved the World Figure Skating Championships to this venue after an earthquake struck Japan.
  • The arena served as a home venue for continental basketball matches played by CSKA Moscow.
Source: Wikipedia
Megasport Arena in pictures3 photos
Luu · pdm · Oct 23, 2009
deerstop · pdm · Oct 24, 2009
Luu · cc0 · Apr 27, 2011

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Source: TravelHub · OurAirports (public domain)