FIFA’s Infantino: Russia says economic crisis won’t affect World Cup (Reuters)

By Jack Stubbs MOSCOW (Reuters) – FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Tuesday he had received assurances from the Russian government that the economic crisis convulsing Russia would not affect preparations for the 2018 soccer World Cup. Russia, which faces a second straight year of recession after its gross domestic product fell 3.7 percent last year due to lower global oil prices and Western sanctions, plans to cut state spending by 10 percent on average in 2016. Its World Cup budget has been repeatedly slashed and was limited to 620.9 billion rubles ($9.38 billion) in February.