Qingdao (People's Daily) – There will be an estimated 100,000 Chinese fans visiting Russia for the 2018 World Cup, a Russian envoy said Thursday.

“There will be an estimated 100,000 Chinese fans visiting Russia during the World Cup,” said Alexander Kalinuk, press officer of the Russian Embassy in China. “Russia is ready to embrace Chinese visitors.”

The FIFA World Cup will be held from June 14 to July 15 in Russia this year. Though China's national football team did not qualify for the soccer world championship, it seems it does not matter as the prestigious event also attracts many Chinese viewers.

However, a Chinese presence at the World Cup does exist. Several sponsorship deals have been penned between FIFA and Chinese companies, including Qingdao-based consumer electronic giant Hisense.

Fans who successfully booked a World Cup ticket can enter Russia visa-free after they applied for a fan-id card, a piece of identification for the World Cup stadium entrance, through the fan-id.ru website.

The fan-id card also grants free Wi-Fi service and free transportation, excluding flights, on match days.