Russian officials propose 14 World Cup host cities in bid for 2018 or 2022
By David Nowak, APFriday, October 9, 2009
Russia proposes 14 World Cup host cities
MOSCOW — Russia unveiled its bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup on Friday, pledging to restrict the large-scale event to the nation’s European territory and bring much-needed development to its neglected cities.
Russia is among nine nations bidding to host the tournament in either year, while three more countries are interested only in the 2022 finals. Russian hopes a pledges of investment in creaking infrastructure and never hosting the World Cup will set it apart from bids by England, the United States and others.
“Every tournament should be held in a country that has not previously hosted it,” sports minister Vitaly Mutko said. “Our bid is unique … and (winning) will enable our cities to take on a completely different appearance.”
The bid is seen as part of a wider government effort to cast Russia as a modern, dynamic nation capable of staging the world’s top-tier events.
Despite being hit by the global financial crisis, Russia is planning the redevelopment of cities bypassed by its oil-fueled boom of the past decade. It is proposing 15 stadiums in 14 host cities, split into five areas of western Russia.
Mutko said five new stadiums would be built and 10 will be substantially refurbished.
The new stadiums will include at least two more for Moscow — one each for Dynamo Moscow and Spartak Moscow — and a 60,000-seat arena in St. Petersburg, he said.
Only Moscow’s 80,000-seat Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted the Champions League final, conforms to governing body FIFA’s requirements.
Russia hosted a lavish Eurovision Song Contest this year and the Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea last year. It will stage the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
“Tell me, who conducts such events better than Russia?” Mutko said.
Many of the cities will need to build international airports, new hotels, roads and hospitals. Mutko refused to discuss costs, saying the budget will be revealed when Russia submits details of its bid to FIFA in May.
“We are aiming to show the world a new Russia, a Russia capable of inspiring,” Mutko said.
Other bidders for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups are Australia and Japan, along with joint bids from Spain and Portugal and also Netherlands and Belgium. Indonesia, South Korea and Qatar are bidding for 2022 only.
The hosts will be announced by FIFA on Dec. 2, 2010.
