The anticipation to welcome the eight FIFA Confederations Cup participating teams was in evidence today when a flashmob took over the Palace Square, in the heart of Saint Petersburg. Around 1,000 volunteers gathered in this iconic location to perform national dances of the countries that they will welcome to Russia in exactly 100 days.

Split into even groups, volunteers performed the Australian Bush Dance, German Ländler Dance, Cameroonian Baka Dance, Mexican Folk Dance (to El Son de la Negra), a traditional New Zealand war dance, Portuguese Corridinho, Russian Kalinka and the Chilean Cueca to rousing music. The performances were joined by Brazil legend, two-time FIFA World Cup champion and Confederations Cup winner Cafu, and Zabivaka the Wolf, the official mascot of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™.

"I'm better playing football than dancing but it was very cool to celebrate 100 days until FIFA Confederations Cup with the volunteers today."

The celebrations at the Palace Square also involved the famous DJ and former Russian national team goalkeeper, Ruslan Nigmatullin, who provided the music for the occasion.

“It was an honour and a pleasure for me to take part in the events dedicated to the Confederations Cup and World Cup," Ruslan Nigmatullin said. “As someone who played in this competition, I'm delighted that such huge and exciting tournaments as the Confederations Cup and the World Cup are going ahead in Russia. As a musician, I'm proud that I get to be involved in such memorable flashmobs like the one we saw today on Palace Square. I'm confident the upcoming Confederations Cup will be just as striking. It will be cool!”

The dance flashmob, with a video available soon, concluded with volunteers coming together to form the figure 100, providing a memorable finale to the event. Zabivaka and Cafu delighted endless visitors and participants by posing for selfies.

The beautiful show continued through the night. One hundred more nights and the hard work of organisers, volunteers, tournament participants and fans will be rewarded with the opening of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 in Russia. The party has only just begun!