Host nation Russian Federation beat a poor New Zealand team 2-0 on Saturday to open the Confederations Cup with a win that was all but demanded by Vladimir Putin.
The other two Group A teams include European champions Portugal spearheaded by the global superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and the most decorated CONCACAF team Mexico.
Report informs that the 8th competition is like test before the 2018 World Cup.
The 32-year-old Real Madrid superstar's build-up to the tournament in Russian Federation has been overshadowed after he was this week accused by prosecutors in Spain of defrauding the authorities of €14.7 million (Dh60.4m) in tax through offshore companies.
World Cup holders Germany and the Federation Internationale de Football Association confederations champions compete in the eight-team tournament, which will put Russia's ability to handle thousands of visiting and home fans under the spotlight.
This year's tournament is held between June 17 and July 2 at four stadiums in Russian Federation and they are Spartak Stadium in Moscow, St. Petersburg Stadium, Fisht Stadium in Sochi and the Kazan Arena in Kazan.
"Welcome to the FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia", Infantino said.
The tournament is traditionally used as a warm-up for the following year's World Cup and features the home nation, the winners of six continental tournaments and the reigning FIFA World Cup holders.
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"Overall we showed a lot of spirit, and there's certainly some positives to take into the next game for us".
"Here, on modern football arenas there will be tough, honest, fair fight until the last minutes of the match", Putin said in Russian, adding that the eight-team, two-week event would "unite nations and continents, to promote the values of fair and attractive play".
Russian soccer fan leader Alexander Shprygin has been barred from attending his country's opening Confederations Cup match against New Zealand in St Petersburg hours before kickoff on Saturday.
New Zealand had their first major chance in the 78th minute.
Madrid sports media is awash with headlines suggesting Ronaldo wants out.
"The game didn't go how we wanted to go", New Zealand coach Anthony Hudson acknowledged.
Hosts Russia, who drew with Copa America champions Chile 1-1 in a friendly last week, slipped to a record low 63rd in Federation Internationale de Football Association world rankings this month.
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