Vladimir Putin heads for Zurich to thank FIFA for 2018 World Cup

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he was leaving for Zurich to thank soccer governing body FIFA for awarding Russia the right to host the 2018 soccer World Cup finals.

"This decision shows that Russia is trusted," Putin told reporters before leaving for the airport to fly to Zurich.

Putin, who had complained of unscrupulous competition in the contest, said the decision showed much about Russia's economic and political stability.

"Hurrah! Victory!," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a Twitter post on the FIFA decision.

Finance minister Alexei Kudrin said that Russia will spend significantly less on preparations of the 2018 World Cup than on the organisation of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

"It'll be significantly less," Kudrin said.

"We have a clear plan on assigning sites."