Russia to double 2018 World Cup budget

MOSCOW (AP) -Russia's top sports official says the country will have to almost double the projected budget to host the World Cup in 2018.

The new 600 billion ruble ($19.2 billion) preliminary budget, announced by Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko Sunday, is almost twice the sum projected by then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin when Russia was awarded the World Cup in December 2010.

About 40 percent of the money will be spent to construct or refurbish 12 stadiums required for the tournament. The rest of the budget will be spent on upgrades to transport and hospitality infrastructure in the 11 host cities.