KALININGRAD (Sputnik) – Stadium construction in westernmost Russia for the 2018 World Cup football championship is ahead of schedule at over 20-percent complete, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Wednesday.
"Construction is ahead of schedule, around 21 percent is ready, that is a good pace. Roofing should be prepared, heat should be supplied by the end of the year. Next year we expect to plant the grass," Mutko said.
Mutko toured the facilities in Kaliningrad Region with First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and Kaliningrad Region Governor Nikolay Tsukanov earlier in the day. Kaliningrad is one of nearly a dozen Russian cities to host the June 14-July 15 2018 FIFA World Cup.
