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FIFA president Sepp Blatter tells detractors of the 2018 World Cup in Russia to 'stay at home'

Associated Press
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, meets with FIFA President Sepp Blatter in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Monday, April 20, 2015. (Alexei Druzhinin/RIA Novosti, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, meets with FIFA President Sepp Blatter in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Monday, April 20, 2015. (Alexei Druzhinin/RIA Novosti, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

FIFA president Sepp Blatter says politicians who are unhappy with Russia hosting the 2018 World Cup should "stay at home" during the tournament.

A group of U.S. senators have asked FIFA to move the tournament out of Russia to supplement international sanctions, while Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko reportedly called for a boycott last month.

Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Blatter says critical politicians should "stay at home, but we're going to be setting up the biggest World Cup in Russia."

In a Russian-language transcript of the conversation published by the Kremlin, Blatter also says that preparations for the tournament are ahead of schedule.

Putin says Russia will "try not to disappoint you, dear Mr. President, and all football fans in the world."