Russia has rejected a FIFA recommendation to cut the number of host cities for the 2018 World Cup from 11 to nine and stadiums from 12 to 10, according to Russia sports minister Vitaly Mutko.
"The plan that we will have 12 stadiums in 11 cities, which will host matches at the World Cup is not changing," Mutko told the ITAR-TASS news agency on Tuesday.
"FIFA recommends that we should have 10 stadiums in nine cities, which include two arenas in Moscow. This week delegates from FIFA will visit us and we will be taking them
to all the host cities. Tomorrow they will be going to Saransk."
