Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has established an organizing committee for the 2018 World Cup and ordered more spending on sports.
Putin also said at a meeting with sports officials late Monday that the country must do well in the World Cup and at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
''Our task isn't only to prepare well for them and hold these events to the highest possible standard, but ensure our teams perform successfully,'' Putin said.
The government has earmarked 90 billion rubles (about $3 billion) on sports over the next three years, including 39.5 billion rubles ($1.3 billion) allocated for this year, Putin said. He ordered officials to focus on improving physical training at schools.
It was Putin's personal goal to bring both the 2014 Winter Games and the 2018 World Cup to Russia as part of a wider drive to raise the country's prestige abroad, and he said the events would also help improve the quality of life and make the nation healthier.
Russia will spend at least $10 billion on dramatic upgrades to infrastructure in 13 cities to prepare to host World Cup matches. It will also invest more than $30 billion in preparation for the 2014 Winter Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
