In Britain's Mirror, Gary Anderson wrote a story headlined "Black players attacked by racists is reality of football in Russia".

The story quoted André Bikey, a former player for Lokomotiv in Moscow, as saying he bought a gun to protect himself from racists in Moscow.

The Burnley player said he was attacked because of the colour of his skin and lived in constant fear for his life while he played for Lokomotiv Moscow.

"Sick thugs even targeted the Cameroon international while he was with his wife Marina and his mother – before André escaped with a transfer to then-Premiership side Reading," wrote Anderson.

"Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Mirror, André, 25, expressed his shock that Vladimir Putin’s corruption-mired bid was chosen for 2018 ahead of England, where he has built a happy life for his two young daughters," the paper said.

James Calvert, a syndicated sports columnist wrote that "The truth is, awarding the 2018 contest to Russia has only served to make the cloud of suspicion hanging over Fifa that much more murky. Everybody I have spoken to about it in the last 48 hours has asked a similar question: “I wonder how much it cost them?”

The FIFA Executive Committee announced on Thursday in Zurich Switzerland that Russia will host the 2018 World Cup.

Russia won the bid for the first time in history after a tight race against England, Portugal and Spain (jointly), and Belgium and the Netherlands (jointly).

In two rounds of voting, Russia secured 22 votes. Spain and Portugal came in second place with 14 votes, followed by the Netherlands and Belgium and then England.

FIFA also chose Qatar to host the 2022 championships, selecting the oil-rich Arab country over bids from Australia, South Korea, the United States and Japan.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev congratulated all Russians and the organizers of the bid for the victory.

"Dear friends, I heartily congratulate everyone in this brilliant victory.... I congratulate the huge army of Russian fans. I congratulate all those who prepared and supported the bid," Medvedev said.

"We will of course have experience in holding such events after the 2014 Olympics, but this is a huge and a serious event," he added. "Our football players must start training hard too because we have not yet been able to cannot yet impress with our World Cup results."

"This [FIFA] decision certainly complies with the FIFA philosophy on the development of international football, particularly in areas where this development is most needed...I want to assure the FIFA executives that we will do everything to hold the 2018 World Cup at the highest level possible," Putin said.

FIFA President Joseph Blatter congratulated the countries selected to host the 2018 and 2022 Cups.

"I have to say thanks to the Executive Committee of FIFA because for 2018 and 2022 we go to new lands, because the FIFA World Cup has never been in eastern Europe or the Middle East. So, I'm a happy president when we speak of the development of football," Blatter said.

Russia's main selling points have been an appeal to FIFA's sense of legacy and mission to open new borders. The team behind the Russian application has also stressed the massive state support for the bid.

Russia is planning to spend about $10 billion on the preparation for the World Cup in 2018, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at a news conference in Zurich.

Putin arrived at FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Thursday shortly after Russia had won the bid to host the major event in the soccer world for the first time in history after a tight race against England, Portugal and Spain (jointly), and Belgium and the Netherlands (jointly).

"According to our estimates, construction of stadiums and surrounding infrastructure will cost us about 300 billion rubles or $10 bln, which is comparable with expenditures on the preparation of the World Cup in South Africa," Putin said.

The Russian prime minister said FIFA had made the right choice because Russia is stable politically, has a healthy economy and a favorable social situation, unlike many European countries, which were affected by the recent economic crisis.

Putin also said that many projects related to the preparation for the World Cup would be implemented with the participation of large state-run companies and private sector.

He even urged Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, who owns the Chelsea football club, to contribute to the preparation.

"We are planning to use the help of business circles to minimize state expenses on hosting the World Cup and I do not rule out the possibility that Mr. Abramovich could contribute to one of the projects," Putin said as Abramovich grinned in the front row.

Russia is ready to provide appropriate additional state guarantees and will introduce visa-free entry for participants and guests of the World Cup in 2018 in the case, if it receives a right to their conduct, said Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

At a meeting with members of the Inspection Commission of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), Prime Minister noted that the Russian authorities have already sent the necessary government guarantees Federation.

"We are ready to provide additional government guarantees. This applies to the visa waiver participants and guests of the World Cup. This also applies to travel to all the above categories between the cities where games will be held the World Cup," - said the prime minister.

For its part, the head of FIFA's inspection committee Harold Mayne-Nicholls said that he was pleased to hear these words from the prime minister.

"Indeed, the Russian government gave FIFA government guarantees. We were also very pleased to hear from you now that if additional state guarantees, then you are ready to provide them," - he said.

"Also crucial was now up to you to hear about the possibility of introducing visa-free entry for participants and guests of the championship in St. Petersburg, Moscow and other Russian cities," - said Mayne Nichols, noting that the championship comes to a lot of people.

Russia included in the application list of 13 cities - Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Kazan, Saransk, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Sochi, Ekaterinburg.

The 2018 World Cup final will be played in the VTB - Arena stadium designed by Erick van Egeraat which is being built on the site of the Dynamo stadium in Moscow Erick van Egeraat