Russia World Cup 2018: Another score for powerful Putin?

Most Russians will probably give credit to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who directed lobbying efforts from Moscow and immediately announced that he would fly to Zurich Thursday night to celebrate Russia's win.

Three years ago, then-President Putin personally lobbied for and won the right for Russia to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Speaking on CNN's Larry King Live Wednesday, Mr. Putin explained Russia's hopes, and slammed the allegations of corruption – against Britain as well as Russia – that marred the hard-fought battle to win the World Cup honor.

"FIFA's philosophy involves promoting international soccer and extending its global reach," Putin said. "Eastern Europe has never hosted a World Cup, which is why Russia is a natural contender.... We have a problem, however. Mud has been thrown at FIFA members lately during this bidding race. Attempts have been made to discredit them in ways I think they really did not deserve."

Russia, which currently lacks facilities to hold the World Cup, is widely viewed as Europe’s largest emerging soccer market. Plans call for World Cup matches to be held in 13 Russian cities, and Putin has pledged visa-free entry to Russia for all foreign ticket-holders. The Russian government says it will invest almost $4 billion in upgrading infrastructure and building new stadiums.

Russian experts say the FIFA decision clearly displays indifference on the part of Europeans to this week's mass release of US diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks, some of which portray Russia in unflattering terms, as a country where democracy has died and which is "a virtual mafia state."

One cable, a report to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice released Thursday, describes Putin as a "secret billionaire" who amassed his fortune illegally while in power and is now "nervously seeking to secure his future immunity from potential law enforcement investigations into his alleged illicit proceeds."

Sergei Strokan, foreign affairs columnist for the Moscow business daily Kommersant, says the Kremlin will see the FIFA decision as a major milestone in its efforts to overcome negative images of Russia.

"This is clear evidence that people no longer regard Russia as a hotbed of tension or a mafia state, no matter what you read in WikiLeaks," he says. "Whether people like it or not, the perception of Russia is changing."

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