Moscow, Russia. 3 February 2016.

1. 00:00 Former France international Christian Karembeu on stage holding the Confederations Cup

2. 00:06 Journalists

3. 00:11 Confederations Cup

4. 00:16 Countdown ceremony 500 days to the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017

5. 00:21 Screen showing players with cup and the emblem of the Confederations Cup 2017

6. 00:28 SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vitaly Mutko, Russian Sport Minister:

"We invite all fans, not only from Russia but also from the whole world to this tournament. Of course we want the Confederations Cup to take place on a (high) level so that the guests of this tournament would like to come to the World Cup. We hope that the Russian national team performs successfully at this tournament because the potential of our national team is unexplored."

7. 00:51 Football

8. 00:55 SOUNDBITE (Russian) Alexei Sorokin, CEO of the Russia 2018 World Cup organising committee:

"It's important that the entry to Russia will be simplified. The visa-free entry will be guaranteed, as Russia stated in the proposal. As to transportation, we will provide shuttles between airports of all cities and the main objects of the Confederations Cup - stadiums and city centres."

9. 01:19 Journalists

10. 01:24 SOUNDBITE (Russian) Alexei Sorokin, CEO of the Russia 2018 World Cup organising committee:

"Traditionally, the ticket sale starts after the draft. We expect the (ticket) sale to start in the beginning of December. Unfortunately, I can't tell you anything about the prices - it's the responsibility of the tournament organisers, the responsibility of FIFA."

11. 01:40 Officials on stage

12. 01:45 Screen showing stadia in Moscow, Kazan and Sochi and the emblem of the Confederations Cup 2017

13. 02:05 Journalists

14. 02:10 SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vitaly Mutko, Russian Sport Minister:

"There are no reasons for reconsidering the right to hold the World Cup in Russia and Qatar. If they existed, they would have been presented long ago. I think that these conversations are inappropriate two and a half years before (the World Cup starts). We have already passed the point of no return. The schedule is finalised, the structure is set up."

15. 02:30 Journalists

16. 02:35 Christian Karembeu in front of journalists

17. 02:41 SOUNDBITE (English) Christian Karembeu, former France international:

"When we talk about football we can talk about integration, we can talk about sport without discrimination, we can talk about dialogues. And like I said in French that Russia have many ethnics in this country and I think that Russia will give us a great example when we going to come to see the tournament."

18. 03:15 Teenagers posing for photo with Karembeu in front of journalists

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 3:21

The countdown to the FIFA Confederations Cup began in Moscow on Wednesday (3 February) with 500 days to go until the tournament commences.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The countdown ceremony marking 500 days to the Confederations Cup 2017 took place in central Moscow on Wednesday.

The tournament emblem was unveiled at the event which was attended by Russian Sport Minister Vitaly Mutko, CEO of the Russia 2018 World Cup LOC Alexei Sorokin and former France international Christian Karembeu plus other officials.

The competition consists of the winners from each FIFA confederation tournament.

As World Cup hosts Russia qualify automatically with Germany, Australia, Chile and Mexico joining them.

The winners of Euro 2016, the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2016 OFC Nations Cup will also compete.

But for the first time in the tournament's history, Brazil don't have a place.

The reigning champions and three-time winners were knocked out on penalties by Paraguay in the quarter-finals of the 2015 Copa America and were humiliated in the semi-finals of the World Cup when they were beaten 7-1 by eventual winners Germany.

Since 2005, the competition has served as a warm-up to the World Cup in the following year.

Four cities will host the 2017 edition: Kazan, Sochi, St Petersburg and Moscow.