Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin put out an impassioned call on Thursday for football fans across the nation to turn the 2018 World Cup into a festival for the sport.

Russia is hosting football's top tournament for the first time, and for Putin, who is widely expected to return to the presidency in March elections, putting on a show to remember is a matter of personal pride.

"I'm counting on the fact that the leaders of fan clubs and all football supporters in general will be incorporated into preparations for the World Cup and help make this event a genuine festival for all lovers of this wonderful sport," Putin told a group of fan club bosses.

Putin, who lobbied hard for FIFA to grant the event to Russia over more traditional football strongholds such and England and Spain, called for the formation of a volunteer movement to help the expected hoards of tourists feel welcome.

"It is from your ranks that the volunteers should come," said Putin, who promised to take the recommendations of supporters associations into account when it comes to creating the necessary infrastructure for the tournament.

Russia is building or refurbishing more than a dozen stadiums in preparation for the World Cup, which is to be held in in 11 cities mainly in the country's European territory.