SOCCER-RUSSIA/WORLD CUP-ROSTOV Russian city close to Ukraine border prepares to host 2018 FIFA World Cup

Record ID: 147004

  • Title: SOCCER-RUSSIA/WORLD CUP-ROSTOV Russian city close to Ukraine border prepares to host 2018 FIFA World Cup
  • Date: 15th July 2015
  • Summary: SIGN READING (Russian) 'I (HEART) ROSTOV' VARIOUS OF TEENAGERS PLAYING SOCCER
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADSX6VTVA26VIOKN7CYNZCH8MG
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Work is being stepped up for a soccer stadium in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, some 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) south of Moscow and close to the border with Ukraine, which is being built for the 2018 FIFA World Cup competition.
    Russia's Rostov-on-Don, with a population of some 1,1 millions, is one of 11 cities across the country that is being included in hosting the next World Cup competition.
    Construction of the new stadium was due to begin in November of last year but was delayed for months. There is some speculation as to when the stadium will be completed, after initial projections of construction ending in 2016 were extended to the following year and worries that the delay in starting the work could result in further changes.
    The Russian government recently ordered 30 billion roubles ($560 million) in cuts in World Cup spending, but have said construction of stadiums would not be affected by that move.
    Russia has been forced to trim spending because of economic problems worsened by the collapse of global oil prices and economic sanctions imposed on Moscow over its role in the crisis in Ukraine.
    A government decree said spending on the tournament would now be limited to 631.5 billion roubles ($11.8 billion) and Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said most of the cuts would be in the number of hotels built.
    Prior to the new government decree, World Cup organisers had already axed plans to build 25 hotels, cut the number of training grounds and reduced the capacity of some of the venues to save on building costs.
    Building materials are now being sourced locally from Russian providers because of the rouble's decline against the U.S. dollar in the past year, pushing up construction costs.
    However, the governor of Rostov region Vasily Golubev told journalists on Tuesday (July 14) that he was confident Rostov-on-Don would be ready in time.
    "Business is interested in construction of new hotels. We think that we could host no less than 50 thousand of supporters willing to visit Rostov-on-Don," he said.
    Golubev also said that the local infrastructure was already well developed and would be improved further ahead.
    "The currently operating airport annually receives approximately - let's take for example 2014 - two million and 400,000 passengers. The capacity of the new one, that we are building now, is designed for 8 million passengers," said Golubev.
    Rostov-on-Don's new stadium will overlook the Rowing channel, where local sportsmen practice their skills.
    The region's Rostov FC soccer team plays in the Russian Premier League and its coach, 62-years-old, Kurban Berdyev was named as a candidates to replace Fabio Capello as coach of the Russian national team.
    On Tuesday the Russian Football Union announced that it had ended its contract with the Italian coach and will name his successor, who will be a Russian, in the next two weeks.
    Capello took the Russian team to the World Cup finals in Brazil last summer but Capello's side were knocked out in the group stages.
    The team's form has not improved since then and they suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss at home to Austria in their Euro 2016 qualifier on June 14, leaving them third in Group G with eight points from six games.
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