ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Russian sports officials have signed a formal declaration awarding the 2018 World Cup to Russia.
Blatter met with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin shortly before the signing in St. Petersburg and said FIFA is certain it made the right choice in awarding the soccer championship to Russia.
Russia has never before organized a World Cup and has much work to do to get ready. Stadiums and hotels will need to be built, and airports and roads upgraded.
Besides hosting 32 soccer teams and millions of visitors, Russia will have to transport them from cities spread from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east that form Europe’s boundary with Asia.
