FIFA World Cup™ winner Carles Puyol will visit Russia next week to get a feel for the excitement as preparations for the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 get into full swing.

The stadiums to be used for the tournament are nearly ready, the selection of volunteers is well underway, and the fans who did not manage to get tickets first time round are eagerly awaiting the next sales phase, which opens on 1 March.

The Spain and Barcelona legend already visited Russia last year, when he took part in the launch of the Volunteer Programme for the Confederations Cup and the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ in Moscow.

“I enjoyed my trip to Russia so much last summer for the launch of 2018 FIFA World Cup Volunteers Programme that I couldn’t wait to come back,” announced Puyol. "I am happy to tell you that I’ll be back in Saint Petersburg and Moscow next week."

The former defender will be also meeting volunteers next week, this time at the Volunteer Centre at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations on 28 February. He will learn about the volunteer-selection process and will even play football with some prospective volunteers.

The day before, on 27 February, he will visit Saint Petersburg, where he will team up with a joint FIFA and Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee delegation for an operational tour of the Saint Petersburg Stadium. The venue will host the opening match and the final of the Confederations Cup this summer. The former world champion will also chat with fans on the same day via a VK Live session on the Russian social network VKontakte.