The Russian government on Friday approved rules on subsidising construction of infrastructure for soccer's 2018 World Cup for a total of more than 5.5 billion rubles ($A163 million).
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree setting out how regions hosting the matches could tap the funds under the government's program to support the World Cup.
While Russia successfully transformed the Black Sea resort of Sochi into a glittering sports venue to host February's Winter Olympics, at a cost of over $US50 billion ($A54.1 billion), the World Cup presents an even bigger challenge as a radical overhaul is needed of sports, tourist and transport infrastructure in a string of under-developed regions across the country.
Some of the venues are already completed or well on schedule - but elsewhere, work will be starting from scratch.
The program has identified 28 projects including modernising the water and heating systems in cities hosting matches.
Officials have previously estimated $US20 billion ($A21.65 billion) will be needed to prepare for the World Cup, with about half coming from private investors and the other from regional government budgets.
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