Russia announced an $80 million cut in its budget for the 2018 World Cup, just months after the country's top sports official ruled out such decreases.
The decree published on the Russian government's official website brings the event's budget down to 620.9 billion rubles ($8.15 billion) largely by eliminating the construction of an international broadcast center.
The cuts are the latest indication of the squeeze government budgets are feeling as the Russian economy heads into a second year of recession and spiraling inflation caused by Western sanctions over Russian actions in Ukraine and low oil prices.
A spokesman for organizers said the elimination of the new facility wouldn't affect broadcast plans, and that other venues are on schedule.
Last year, after several earlier decreases, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told Russian media there wouldn’t be any more cuts.
