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2018 FIFA WORLD CUP IN RUSSIA

Some 25,000 Mexican football fans expected in Russia for 2018 FIFA World Cup

Russia also gains popularity as a venue for Mexican tourists

© AP Photo/Moises Castillo

MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. Some 25,000 football fans from Mexico are expected to come to Russia this summer for matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Mexican Ambassador to Russia Norma Bertha Pensado Moreno said on Wednesday.

"A number of people interested in football is on the rise in Mexico," the ambassador said. "At the same time we should mention that Russia gains popularity as the venue for Mexican tourists."

"Last year about 2,000 of my compatriots came here for the (2017 FIFA) Confederations Cup and it was definitely a positive experience for all of them," she said.

2018 FIFA WORLD CUP IN RUSSIA

"Of course those, who already visited Russia, started promoting the idea of visiting this country, therefore, according to our estimations, about 25,000 Mexican football fans are expected to come for the World Cup," Moreno added.

The Final Draw, held at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow on December 1 last year, placed Mexico in Group F alongside with reigning champions Germany, Sweden and South Korea.

After successfully hosting the FIFA Confederations Cup matches last summer in four Russian cities, namely Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi, the country is now in full-swing preparations to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The country selected 11 host cities to be the venues for the matches of the 2018 World Cup and they are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Samara.

The matches of the 2018 World Cup will be held between June 14 and July 15 at 12 stadiums located in the 11 aforementioned cities across Russia. Two of the stadiums are located in the Russian capital.

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2018 World Cup in Russia

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