Komsomolskaya Pravda: “Vladimir Putin: ‘We need to train a strong national team for the world cup’”
How Russia plans to host the 2018 World Cup.
On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting to prepare for the world championships, which Russia will host in 2018.
"Hosting a tournament like this is more than an honour," the prime minister said. "The FIFA World Cup is much more than simply a sporting event. This month-long football marathon leaves a significant cultural and material heritage. Tens of thousands of people from all over the world will come to see a modern, dynamically developing and open Russia."
The prime minister also noted that it will help popularise sport among young people and promote a healthy lifestyle.
One of the biggest issues in preparing for the championship, according to Putin, is the construction of stadiums. Stadiums in Moscow, St Petersburg, Sochi, and Kazan are up to the mark. In other cities, they have yet to be built. As for funding, "we need an individual approach to each region and each venue," Putin emphasised. "We need to ensure a balance between federal and regional funds and private investment." Russian Railways and the Ministry of Transport have been instructed to build high-speed train lines between the cities that will be hosting the games.
The prime minister told the Russian Football Union (RFU) to actively interact with fans.
"We have made a promise to FIFA and the entire international community to hold the World Cup properly, based on the principles of tolerance and benevolence," Putin said. "And we must deliver on this promise."
Fans and public organisations, according to the prime minister, must be actively involved in preparations for the championship.
"We need to train a strong, competitive team for the World Cup," Putin said. "You realise that this will take more than a year or two. This laborious work should begin at the youth and junior team levels. We still have seven years to go, so it will be these sportsmen who play for Russia at the World Cup. I am asking the Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy and the Russian Football Union to prepare these players for the country's national team and make it a priority," the prime minister said.
Larisa Kaftan
