VOA常速英语:18年世界杯未到，俄罗斯先后院起火？

Russian football is warming up as the country prepares to host the FIFA Confederations Cup in June, and later the World Cup in 2018.

“It’s understood, that it is not only the preparation of the teams for the Confederations Cup but the state of stadiums, logistics, the state of all hotels, airports, of everything that has been constructed for it.”

But the construction of one stadium in Saint Petersburg saw a vice-governor arrested for kickbacks.And millions of dollars go missing.Football magazine Josimar reported the use of North Korean forced labor, which authorities denied.

The stadium, with a retractable roof and sliding pitch, cost more than $780 million, among the world’s most expensive.

“Its construction cost has grown by several times and it doesn’t correspond to reality. If you visited some of the European stadiums that cost several times less, you’d immediately see the difference.”

Russian football has struggled, and not just to get onto the world stage.But the mood is good after Spartak Moscow, for the first time in 16 years, won Russia’s premier league in May.

“The championship was won and there is a positive attitude towards the club.But the most important thing now is the Confederations Cup.”

To generate support for the games in June, and the 2018 World Cup, junior teams recently played a friendly tournament near Moscow.

“Well, the Confederations Cup will show how prepared we are for it.I hope that our team will be at its best with the support of its fans and it will try its best.”

Embassies of the eight countries competing in the Confederations Cup supported the teams.

“The atmosphere is really warming up, and, of course it’s a test run for us for the world championship next year.So, we’re actually looking forward, both to the Confederations Cup in June and for the world championship in 2018.”

The Confederations Cup will test not only the teams but the organizers and the cities themselves to see how well Russia can handle next year’s World Cup.

Daniel Schearf, VOA news, Moscow.