That is nearly double the budget proposed when Russia was awarded the tournament in December 2010 ahead of England and joint bids from Belgium and Holland and Portugal and Spain. 

All 12 stadiums required for the tournament are in need of construction or refurbishment, but most of the budget will be spent on major upgrades to transport and hospitality infrastructure in the 11 host cities, said Mutko (pictured).

"These are not the final numbers," said Mutko at a news conference with FIFA President Sepp Blatter following the announcement last night of which cities will host the 64 matches. 

"You can call the figures a rough estimate.

"It is what is required to do everything necessary so we can stage a high-quality championships."

Mutko, who is the chairman of Russia 2018 as well as a member of FIFA's ruling Executive Committee, admitted that in the 22 months since Russia had been awarded the tournament they had allowed for a "complete revision" of the costs.

The costs are to be split 50-50 between public and private sector, Mutko said.

Forty per cent of the budget will be spent on the stadiums themselves and the rest includes roads, hotels, airports, new runways, hospitals, security and myriad associated infrastructure.

"Not one city is ready today," said Mutko.

"Not even Moscow."

Eleven host cities have been chosen which span the European part of Russia.

They are Moscow - which will host matches in two stadiums, St Petersburg - Sochi, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Kaliningrad, Volgograd and Saransk.

Rostov-on-Don in south western Russia will be one of 11 venues for 2018 FIFA World Cup

Five arenas are already under construction and four more stadium projects are to be started before the new year.

"We have five arenas [in Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan, Sochi and Saransk] that are under construction," said Mutko.

"Next week, I think, we'll start designing four more."

Mutko claimed that "most of the expenses are already covered by numerous Federal [Government] programmes.

"We may speak about corrections and readdressing programmes to the host regions.

"But we are facing serious and tough work ahead."

But FIFA appear unconcerned with the details of the new budget and the amount of work that needs to be carried out. 

"We are in a very comfortable situation when it comes to the organization of the World Cup 2018," said Blatter.

"We are one year ahead of our schedule and this is a new approach to organising World Cups.

"With this approach we have already come so far, six years before the start."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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