Meet the Russian billionaires who got a kick out of the World Cup, in the stands, of course

Leonid Fedun (62)
Net worth: $7.3 billion
Made his fortune in: Oil, being the vice-president of one of Russia’s top energy multinationals LUKoil. The ex-military officer turned financial whiz bought national soccer club Spartak Moscow in 2004.
Watched: Belgium vs England, 1-0
World Cup connect: Apart from his role in nurturing Russian soccer to its current star status, he also built a 45,000 capacity stadium, costing him $500 million.
Aside: Earned a Phd in philosophical science in 1993. At a lecture he held in Siberia in 1987, Fedun met the man who would shape his future — LUKoil boss, Vagit Alekperov.



Dmitry Pumpyansky (53)
Net worth: $1.6 billion
Made his fortune in: Making pipes and now co-owns the conglomerate TMK. This year, the steel pipe baron also made it to the US Treasury’s list for sanctions because of his closeness to the Kremlin.
Watched: Russia vs Saudi Arabia, 5-0
World Cup connect: His Sinara group spent $190 million to renovate one of the key tournament stadiums, the 65-year-old Ekaterinburg Arena.
Aside: His super-yacht Axioma (72 m long), which has two large pools and a cinema, is reportedly up for sale… because he is building a larger one.

Leonid Mikhelson (62)
Net worth: $19.8 billion
Made his fortune in: The energy tycoon is the founder and owner of Russian gas company Novatek. He was Russia’s richest man in 2016 and 2017, but slipped to the third spot this year. Putin’s son-in-law Kirill Shamalov (now rumoured to be separated from his daughter) sold his shares in Novatek to Mikhelson in 2017 and now works for him.
Watched: Russia vs Croatia, 3-4
World Cup connect: The billionaire is the main sponsor of the government’s Russian Football Union, so it’s safe to say he’s helped nurture many of its star players.
Aside: A contemporary art aficionado with a private collection worth $200 million, Mikhelson is building a “massive” $130 million centre in Moscow for Russia’s “tiny art market".