For journalists non-accredited by FIFA
Media representatives who do not have official FIFA accreditation as well as independent journalists and bloggers who are going to engage in professional activity in Russia to cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup must get an accreditation in the city press centres*. The city press centres will operate in each host city (Kaliningrad, Kazan, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Saransk, Sochi, St.Petersburg, Volgograd and Yekaterinburg).
The city press centres will hold regular news conferences, briefings and video linkups. Journalists will also be able to join guided tours and workshops. Each press centre will showcase local regional achievements in a special dedicated area. World Cup matches will be broadcast live.
Journalists are welcome to use workstations with computers and high-speed internet connection, office equipment and free high-speed Wi-Fi access at the press centres. Press halls will be equipped with professional lighting and sound equipment. Simultaneous interpreting will be available.
City press centre accreditation requests are accepted via https://
Once accredited by the city press centres, journalists from any foreign country, regardless of visa-free travel agreements (exceptions: CIS member states, Abkhazia and South Ossetia), obtain regular business visas (purpose of visit: Mass Media/Reporter or Mass Media/Tech).
Foreign nationals applying for a regular business visa (Mass Media/Reporter or Mass Media/Tech) must have a medical insurance for the entire stay in Russia.
The period of the visa will be based on the information of the planned entry and departure from Russia provided with the application information, as well as the duration of medical insurance. The visa validity period must not begin before June 1, 2018 or end after July 25, 2018.
Foreign nationals accredited online by the city press centres and holding journalist type visas will be able to collect their accreditation badges in the city centres. Badges will allow them to conduct their professional activity in 17 Russian regions, including 11 World Cup host regions and 6 regions where the national teams’ training bases are located (Chechen Republic, Kaluga, Leningrad, Moscow and Voronezh regions, and Stavropol Territory).
The press centre in Moscow will open on June 4, 2018 and in other host cities on June 13, 2018. The press centres will operate from 10 am to 10 pm. The press centres will close on July 16, 2018, at 12 am.
Foreign journalists who plan to conduct their professional activity in the Russian regions not listed above to cover the World Cup events must apply for accreditation with the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department as required.
Media representatives holding a valid journalist type visa and Russian Foreign Ministry accreditation will only need to apply for online accreditation and they will be issued an accreditation badge in order to work at the city press centres.
Full information on the accreditation of foreign nationals with the Russian Foreign Ministry is available on the Ministry’s website at Press Service -> Journalist Help at https://www.mid.ru/press_service/journalist_help/reglament. For inquiries, please call +7 (499) 244 2087 or email at pc.mid@yandex.ru.
City press centre badges can be collected at the “Rossiya Segodnya” Accreditation Centre (4 Zubovsky Boulevard, Moscow) starting May 15, 2018, at the Moscow city press centre starting June 4, and at all other city press centres starting June 13.
FIFA-accredited journalists do not require any additional permits to access city press centres.
Foreign nationals holding valid Russian visas are not allowed to conduct journalist activity in Russia to cover the World Cup and must suspend their visas (exceptions: regular business visas stating the purpose of visit as Mass Media/Reporter, Mass Media/Tech or Mass Media Business Trip; work visas stating the purpose of visit as Mass Media Reporter or Mass Media Technician, i.e. journalist type visas). After the World Cup, the suspended visas can be resumed.
The accreditation procedure, terms and conditions as well as the city press centres’ locations and working hours are available at https://