The Luzhniki stadium in Moscow will host the opening match and the final of the 2018 World Cup (Photo: AFP)

This year’s World Cup is the most expensive as Russia has spent 1% of its GDP to the tournament, 2 billion USD higher than the amount spent on the tournament in Brazil and 3 times higher than South Africa. Matches will take place in 11 cities, including famous tourist destinations like Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, and Kaliningrad.

12 stadiums and 113 training complexes of highest international standards have been built or restored. Modern transport infrastructure has been constructed. In St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod, the government built new subway lines for football fans’ travelling. In Moscow, 100 big and super big busses will run every 10 minutes. Football fans can use free buses, trams, and subway trains which operate near stadiums and Moscow downtown. As from April 16, about 60% of free train tickets were already booked.

Russia expects to welcome 1 million foreign visitors during the month-long World Cup. Incentives have been adopted to attract tourists, such as visa exemption. A network of volunteers is available in 11 cities to help visitors. Security is paid due attention as thousands of armed police will be deployed. 4 helicopters and ultrasound jet fighter MiG-28 and MiG-29 will fly in 11 cities’ sky. S-400 missile system is ready to attack targets with range of 400km and a height of 30km. Landmine taskforce will check all stadiums where the tournament’s matches will take place.