By David Gold
August 18 – Franz Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup with Germany as both a player and manager, is to help Kaliningrad’s bid to host matches at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
FIFA and Russia 2018 took a tour this summer of all 13 prospective host cities for the World Cup, with 11 cities likely to be chosen to host games during the competition when FIFA names the successful candidates at the end of September.
Moscow, St Petersburg, Sochi and Kazan are among the cities either certain or highly likely to host matches, leaving Kaliningrad as one of those battling to be included.
Beckenbauer (pictured above), speculated to have voted for Russia’s World Cup bid in 2010, stood down from his position on FIFA’s Executive Committee and as vice-president of the German Football Association (DFB) two years’ ago.
The German will now use his experience and contacts to help Kaliningrad’s cause, and met with city governor Nikolay Tsukanov in Munich to discuss its candidacy.
Kaliningrad is separate from the rest of Russia, situated between Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic Sea, something that Beckenbauer encouraged the city to use to its advantage.
“Certainly, Beckenbauer drew attention to our unique geography,” Tsukanov said after the meeting.
“Indeed, for the European fans, we are closer than any other region of Russia.
“Much will depend on international relations and contacts that help us now get acquainted with the foreign experience of World Cup games.”
Tsukanov added that the key criteria to stage matches was to have a clear vision of preparations, including construction of sports facilities (artist’s impression of proposed Kaliningrad Stadium above), transport infrastructure and hotels for fans.
Beckenbauer currently works as the President of the German giants Bayern Munich.
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