2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final final was Japan's second consecutive time contesting a World Cup final. Their first and only win was at the expense of the United States in the 2011 Women's World Cup, held in Germany. It was also the third consecutive time that a major women's football tournament final featured Japan and the United States, after the 2011 World Cup and 2012 Olympics. On 30 June 2015, FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced that he would not travel to Vancouver to attend the final, leaving FIFA vice-president Issa Hayatou to present the trophy at the final to the champion. The United States reached
Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup bid Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup bid Russia announced its intent to bid for the FIFA World Cup in early 2009, and submitted its request to FIFA in time. Russia's President Vladimir Putin has taken a keen interest in the bid and has gone so far as ordering Vitaly Mutko, the Minister of Sports, to "prepare a bid for Russia to hold the 2018 World Cup". According to a report earlier submitted by Vitaly Mutko, who also served that time as President of the Russian Football Union (RFU), the country is ready to spend some $10 billion on the tournament. The