Deputy PM Mutko says Russia fully ready for hosting Confederations Cup

Russia in in the highest level of preparedness for hosting football matches of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, the infrastructure is ready and only issues of operative urgency remain to be resolved, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Friday.

"We are at the highest level of preparedness at the moment, the infrastructure is ready," Mutko, who is also the president of the Russian Football Union (RFU) and the head of the Russia-2018 Local Organising Committee (LOC), said, reports Tass news agency.

"We are currently dealing with the issues of operative urgency, but at the same time see no problems whatsoever," he added.

The FIFA Confederations Cup, which is also viewed by experts as a rehearsal a year prior to the FIFA World Cup, will be held between June 17 and July 2 at Spartak Stadium in Moscow, St. Petersburg Stadium, Fisht Stadium in Sochi and Kazan Arena in Kazan.

Participants in the 2017 Confederations Cup are hosts Russia, 2014 FIFA World Cup Champions Germany, 2015 Copa America Champions Chile, 2015 AFC Asian Cup Champions Australia, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico, 2016 UEFA Euro Cup champs Portugal, OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) Nations Cup victors New Zealand and 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations Champions Cameroon.

The Draw for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup was held on November 26 in the Russian city of Kazan. Following the event, hosts Russia were placed in Group A alongside Portugal, Mexico and New Zealand. Group B has brought together Germany, Chile, Australia and Cameroon.

The opening game will be held in St. Petersburg on June 17 between Russia and New Zealand. Russia will face Portugal in Moscow on June 21 and on June 24 it will play Mexico in Kazan.

--IANS

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