Russia Cuts Budgets But Not World Cup Build; Luzhniki Stadium Ahead Of Schedule

Russia's cabinet passed a 10% cut in the federal budget but was quick to emphasize that "the cuts would not effect the build programme of the 2018 World Cup Stadia," according to Paul Nicholson of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. As if to emphasize the point, "the new roof structure for Moscow's showpiece Luzhniki stadium, where the opening match and final of the 2018 World Cup will be played, was announced to have been completed in 2.5 months, a month ahead of schedule." The new roof "extends the structure" by 11m and weighs 460 tons. In keeping with Russia's policy to switch to in-country sourcing of material (a result of the fall in value of the ruble making non-Russian materials expensive), "the new roof was manufactured at a plant in Chelyabinsk and then transported to Moscow for installation." The new Luzhniki stadium "is part renovation, part rebuild." Alongside the installation of the increased roof cover, ran a program of anti-corrosion treatment on the existing structure (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 3/19).