Russia to unveil 2018 World Cup logo in September

FIFA World Cup trophy

St. Petersburg, Jan 29 (IANS) Russia will present official logo of the FIFA 2018 World Cup in September, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has said.

“We have begun making a logotype,” Mutko told reporters Tuesday, adding the government would start to allocate funds for construction of training pitches in the regions this year.

“We should present 64 training bases for approval of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA),” he added.

Besides host cities, Russia also welcomes teams to stay and live in other cities in Russia, the minister said, adding three cities have applied for developing fan zones for teams that could base in their cities.

As the world counts down to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Russia, the host country of the 2018 event, also announced that the qualifying draw will be decided in St. Petersburg June 25, 2015.

Earlier, Mutko confirmed that the total budget for the tournament was set at 664 billion rubles ($19 billion). A total of eleven Russian cities are scheduled to host the World Cup matches.

Last year, Russia’s preparation work for the World Cup won recognition from FIFA. The football governing body’s general secretary Jerome Valcke said FIFA believed the preparations were on track.

Currently, only two stadiums – the Kazan Arena and the Sochi Olympic Fisht Stadium – are ready for the games. Both of the venues are, however, yet to host first official matches.