Officials Say Plan To Develop Russian Football Through 2020 Requires $6.9 Billion In Funding

Russian football chiefs have concluded that "developing Russian domestic football" through '20 will require $6.9B in funding, according to R-SPORT. With its plan named "Development Strategy for football in the Russian Federation through 2020," the Russian Football Union is seeking to develop the sport at the grassroots level in three key areas. First, "it seeks to create a modern infrastructure to encourage mass participation among the population; second, training staff to serve the football industry as well as implementing education programs in schools; and third, perfecting the system of holding various competitions across the country." The document states, "The greater part of that (around 80 percent) is the cost of building new covered pitches and stadiums. And also (those costs cover) the reconstruction of existing sports facilities and equipping reserve training centers with artificial pitches with floodlights and heating" (R-SPORT, 3/19).