The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia – circuses instead of bread? OSW Commentary NUMBER 286 | 17.09.2018

Wiśniewska, Iwona and Rogoża, Jadwiga (2018) The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia – circuses instead of bread? OSW Commentary NUMBER 286 | 17.09.2018. [Policy Paper]

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Abstract

The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia has become the most expensive World Cup in history, with its cost standing at more than US$ 13 billion. Russia gained new sports, transport and tourist infrastructure, and nearly 3 million foreign tourists came to the country to attend the matches. However, the investments and revenues connected with the tournament will have a minor impact on Russia’s GDP growth rate; at best they may contribute to an acceleration in the development of those regions (particularly the less affluent ones) that hosted the World Cup events. Predictably, the main beneficiary from the tournament’s organisation was President Putin’s business environment : companies controlled by Putin’s cronies won the main tenders for the construction of sports and transportation facilities.

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