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Putin expresses hope that 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held at top level

President said Russia will use preparation for the 2018 World Cup to improve relations with participant countries

Vladimir Putin and Gianni Infantino Mikhail Metzel/TASS

Vladimir Putin and Gianni Infantino

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday expressed hope that the 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held in Russia at the top level.

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Infantino: We make good team with President Putin

"We hope that the championship we are preparing will be held at the highest level," Putin said at a meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

He said Russia will use preparation for the 2018 World Cup to improve relations with participant countries.

"For us, the holding of the FIFA World Cup also has an internal dimension. We hope to use the preparation for the holding of the world cup for improvement of relations with countries that take part in that event," Putin said.

The Russian president congratulated Infantino on election to the FIFA president’s post. He said the experience of a lawyer Infantino has will be useful for him on the new post.

Putin recalled that Russia has a great experience in organizing the largest international competitions, and said "all this will be used now as well."

2018 FIFA World Cup matches will take place from June 14 to July 15 at 12 stadiums in 11 Russian cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Sochi and Rostov-on-Don.

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