Russia on Sunday hosts the closing match of a World Cup praised by football's governing body, FIFA, as the "best ever," with finalists France and Croatia squaring off in the capital, Moscow.
Over the past four weeks, in 11 cities throughout the European part of the largest country in the world, it has been a tournament that has arguably improved Russia's image abroad as well as Russians' esteem for the world's most popular sport.
"Since a couple of years I was saying it will be the best World Cup ever and today I can say with more conviction it is the best World Cup ever," FIFA president Gianni Infantino told reporters on Friday.
"The perception of the world to Russia has changed. There were around one million people in Russia.
"They discovered a beautiful and welcoming country and people who are keen to show to the world that what is sometimes said doesn't happen here."
US credit card company Visa, which alongside US brands Coca-Cola and Budweiser beer served as partners for the tournament, said fans from America were the biggest foreign spenders at Russian World Cup venues, followed by those from China and Mexico.
Pre-tournament concerns over racism proved unfounded and, two years after Russian fans were involved in hooliganism at EURO 2016, there were few disturbances.
"I would have never thought Moscow is such an incredible city," Eduardo Kouri, a Mexico fan who lives in the US, told dpa.
"Without the World Cup I probably wouldn't have come here."
US film star Will Smith, set to perform at Sunday's closing ceremony with fellow American singer Nicky Jam and Kosovar singer Era Istrefi, described the World Cup as a "rare, gigantic moment of global harmony."
"So many people coming together for this single event, it's what I want to be a part of," Smith told reporters in Moscow on Friday.
Russia's coach, Stanislav Cherchesov, expressed hope that the World Cup has created momentum for development of football in the country, as Russian fans were super-charged by the team's surprising success.
The tournament has been an opportunity to welcome foreigners and "change the world's point of view about Russia," Russian fan Yulia Sokolova told dpa.
"I heard a lot of fans and just tourists talk about how things appeared to be different here from what they were always told and believed.
"Of course, the political attitude towards us isn't going to change after the World Cup but people have definitely changed their view."
Australian Associated Press
