Russia’s deputy prime minister Vitaly Mutko has revealed the draw for the 2018 World Cup is set to take place in the Kremlin on Friday, December 1.

The date was already known but the confirmation of the venue – the official residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the heart of Moscow – underlines the significance of the World Cup to the Russian government.

Mutko announced the news during a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

The 58-year-old Mutko stepped down as sports minister in October but he was the chairman of Russia’s successful World Cup bid and is still the president of the Russian Football Union. He is also a former president of Russia’s richest football team, Zenit Saint Petersburg.

“The final draw for the World Cup has been scheduled for December 1, and we have offered the Kremlin as the venue for this event,” he said.

“This proposal suited FIFA and we are already in preparations for the draw.”

These comments come a day after the Mail on Sunday reported that FIFA president Gianni Infantino last year asked Mutko, a member of the FIFA Council, to quit football because of his alleged involvement in Russia’s state-sponsored doping programme.

Mutko, however, has always denied any wrongdoing, blaming others further down the chain of command, and told TASS the British newspaper report was “silly” and remains on good terms with Infantino.

Next Monday, January 30, is the 500-days-to-go milestone for eastern Europe’s first World Cup and a FIFA inspection team is visiting Russia at the end of February to check on preparations for this summer’s dress rehearsal, the Confederations Cup.

That event, which takes place between June 17 and July 2, will feature Russia, 2014 World Cup winners Germany and the six reigning champions of world football’s confederations.