Russia Increases Budget For 2018 World Cup By $325M To $10.8B

Russia has increased government spending on the 2018 World Cup by 19.1B rubles ($325M) "without explanation," according to the AP. Total spending rises to 638.8B rubles ($10.8B), "with all of the increase coming from federal budget funds," which now make up almost 55% of total spending. The increase "dwarfs previous attempts to cut costs by reducing the number of high-end hotels to be built and trimming expenses on other infrastructure." There was "no immediate comment" by the World Cup organizing committee on the reason for the increase. An updated budget document said that the extra money "would largely go to construction or refits of World Cup-related facilities, without specifying which particular projects" (AP, 2/6).