The Luzhniki Stadium, the central part of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, was opened on July 31, 1956. Until 1992, the stadium, together with the sports complex, was named after V.I. Lenin. The 100,000-seat stadium, then the largest in the USSR, underwent significant reconstruction twice. For the games of the XXII Summer Olympic Games in 1980, the premises for judges and journalists, as well as for guests of honor, were reconstructed and equipped according to international standards. The stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics. By the 850th anniversary of Moscow in 1997, the second large-scale reconstruction took place. There are new scoreboards, better lighting, locker rooms for football players according to FIFA standards. The spectator benches were replaced with plastic seats, reducing the arena's capacity to 78,000. In addition to indoor halls, the stadium has outdoor sports grounds for football and mini-football, tennis and athletics competitions.
In 1998, the stadium was included by UEFA in the list of European 5-star football stadiums.
From 2013 to early In 2017, the stadium was closed for renovation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. When choosing between the demolition of the arena or a large-scale reconstruction, it was decided to preserve the historical appearance of Luzhniki, its recognizable view from Vorobyovy Gory. This argument became decisive in choosing in favor of reconstruction with the preservation of historical walls, bearing supports and a canopy, several fragments of the stands to preserve the rigidity of the structure. As a result of the reconstruction, the stands will be as close as possible to the football field, and the capacity will increase to 81,000 people. There will be 300 seats for people with disabilities. For more convenient viewing of matches, a large LED media screen will be placed on the roof of the stadium. Football goals will be equipped with the latest goal fixing system. The stadium will receive field and stands heating systems, which will allow playing football all year round.