Russia "is struggling to beef up its hospitality infrastructure ahead of the 2018 World Cup, with seven of the 11 host cities lagging behind in the number of hotel rooms on offer." Only Moscow, Sochi, St. Petersburg and Kazan "meet the FIFA requirement of 60,000 hotel rooms for host cities" (IANS, 5/21). ... Man City fans "catching the tram to the Etihad next season are to be offered a special 'season ticket' by transport bosses." They "will be able to travel to the Etihad Campus stop from any of the Metrolink network’s 68 other stations," for £70 ($106.20) for adults and £30 ($45.50) for kids aged five to 16. Metrolink "reckon it is the first travel ticket aimed exclusively at football fans in the country" (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 5/21). ... The final round of the 2013 European Trophy "will take place at Berlin's O2 World" from Dec. 19-22. A total of 32 European top hockey teams "will participate in this year's European Trophy and fight for a spot in final round between Aug. 6-Sept. 8" (EISHOCKEY MAGAZIN, 5/17). ... Boxer Bernard Hopkins will take on Karo Murat of Germany for the IBF light-heavyweight title in Brooklyn on July 13. Bernard, at age 48, is the sport's "oldest world champion" (ESPN, 5/20). ... The Royal Trophy Golf Tournament "will be held for the first time in China" on Dec. 20-22 at Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou (XINHUA, 5/21). ... Indonesian volleyballers "are preparing for an earlier-than-usual return to the Proliga competition next year to avoid clashing with national elections, in which campaigning is set to intensify in March." The tournament, to be held next year from Jan. 11 to March 16, "is usually scheduled in February and March" (JAKARTA GLOBE, 5/21).
