All news

Moscow Region withdraws from bid to host 2018 WSCF

In response to the question about the construction of a stadium seating 40,000, Governor Gromov said "We have abandoned the idea" due to its unprofitability

MOSCOW, October 5 (Itar-Tass) — The Moscow Region has withdrawn from the application for playing host to matches in the World Soccer Cup Finals (WSCF) to be held in Russia in 2018, Governor Boris Gromov stated in an interview published in the Wednesday edition of the Sovetsky Sport newspaper.

"The Moscow Region has withdrawn from Russia's bid," Gromov announced. In response to the newspaper's question about the construction of a soccer stadium seating 40,000, which the 2018 WSCF organizing committee had suggested to build, Gromov said "We have abandoned the idea" due to its unprofitability.

"I do not see any sense in building such a huge soccer arena, since it is not quite clear how it would be used after the soccer cup finals," the Governor stated. He said the administration of the region had suggested another option -- to reequip and enlarge the existing stadium in downtown Podolsk but the idea did not undergo a further elaboration. "The organizers did not agree to that," Gromov pointed out.