Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup bid

[1] Russia's President Vladimir Putin has taken a keen interest in the bid and has gone so far as ordering Vitaly Mutko, the Minister of Sports, to "prepare a bid for Russia to hold the 2018 World Cup".

According to a report earlier submitted by Vitaly Mutko, who also served that time as President of the Russian Football Union (RFU), the country is ready to spend some $10 billion on the tournament.

[2] In October 2010, Russia formally pulled out of the race to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

On December 2, 2010, Russia was chosen as the host country for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Russia hopes to have five stadiums fit to host World Cup matches ready by 2013 — two in Moscow and one stadium each in St. Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi, which hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics.