The ceremony will also be attended by other heads of state and government, including the President of the Republic of Abkhazia, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Republic of Belarus, President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Lebanon, President of the Republic of Moldova, President of the Republic of Panama, President-elect of the Republic of Paraguay, President of the Republic of Rwanda, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President of the Republic of South Ossetia, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place in Russia between June 14 and July 15. Russia is hosting the tournament for the first time. The matches will take place at 12 stadiums in 11 cities.