FIFA President Sepp Blatter is scheduled to discuss Russia's chances of hosting the 2018 or 2022 World Cups on Friday with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday.
Russia's bid, which was officially launched last October, has the full support of the government, with a high-level steering committee established under First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.
Although it will be the first meeting of Blatter with the Russian president, world football's top bureaucrat visited Russia last year and spoke with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, praising the country's possible role in hosting the world's most popular sporting event.
"I believe that the World Cup should leave a legacy, and this idea is coming to life here in Russia. That is why I feel a whole-hearted affinity for the Russian bid," Blatter said after his meeting with Putin last October.
While Russia is officially bidding for either the 2018 or 2022 tournament, FIFA's continent rotation policy means that Europe is likely to host the event four years after Brazil in 2014.
Russia has seven competitors to host the 2018 World Cup, including England, Australia and joint bids from Belgium and the Netherlands and Spain and Portugal. A decision on the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments will be made in December 2010.
MOSCOW, January 22 (RIA Novosti)
