MOSCOW, April 18 ― The Russian government has decided to cut the capacity of the Luzhniki stadium, which will hold the final of the 2018 World Cup, by 8,000 to 81,000.

A statement on the government's website said: “It has been agreed to change the capacity of the Big Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic complex from 89,000 to 81,000.

“The Russian Sports Ministry agreed these changes with FIFA.”

The Luzhniki stadium will be the main arena for the World Cup and aside from holding the final, the opening match will also take place there.

The stadium is currently undergoing reconstruction work.

The 2018 World Cup will see 12 stadiums being used in 11 cities, including two in Moscow, and one each in St. Petersburg, Samara, Saransk, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi, Kazan, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod and Yekaterinburg. ― Reuters