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Photos: Soccer Fields Around the World (31 photos)

One of the most appealing aspects of soccer is its simplicity—a ball, some open space, goal markers, and you can play. As the 2018 World Cup kicks off in Russia, with matches held in massive modern arenas, here is a look at the beautiful game in action in some smaller and more unusual venues around the world, including pitches built on a glacier, on a beach, floating in a river, made of straw, on a rooftop, and more.

Players of FC Gspon (white) representing Switzerland play against FC Zuma (red) representing Spain during their Mountain Villages international soccer tournament match in Gspon, in the Swiss Alps, on May 29, 2010. The match is played on the highest elevated soccer field in Europe. At about 2,000 meters, the pitch can only be reached by a cable car that can carry up to 10 people, or on foot—a 45 minute climb. (Michael Buholzer / Reuters)
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/06/photos-soccer-fields-around-the-world/562862/