Start of Confed Cup is great holiday for Russia: Sports minister

Moscow, June 17: The start of the FIFA Confederations Cup football tournament is a great holiday for entire Russia, Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov said on Saturday.

The opening ceremony will begin at the St. Petersburg Stadium at 4 p.m. Moscow time (1300 GMT) on Saturday, two hours before a match between Russia and New Zealand, reports Tass news agency.

"For Russia this is a great holiday, we have been preparing for it over the past several years. Russia is 100 per cent ready," Kolobkov said.

"This is a challenging project, which includes transport, hotels and etc. It is most important that the preparedness for the Confederations Cup has been positively assessed by the FIFA representatives."

The FIFA Confederations Cup is viewed by experts as a rehearsal for the organisers, with only one year to go to the FIFA World Cup.

This year's tournament will be held between June 17 and July 2 at four stadiums in Russia.