SAO PAULO: Brazil will travel to Moscow for a friendly against Russia in March as part of their preparations for the World Cup, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced on Tuesday.
"We think it is important to get a feel for the Russian climate, the fans, the stadiums and of the players in this atmosphere before the final squad is defined," said Brazil's national teams coordinator Edu Gaspar in a CBF statement.
"It will be interesting for us to observe the players and see how we will work in the host country."
The match will be played on Friday, March 23 at a venue yet to be confirmed.
After topping the South American qualifying table for the competition, Brazil will be one of the seeded nations when the draw for the group stage is made in Moscow on December 1.
They have already lined up friendly matches against Japan in the French city of Lille on November 10 and against England at Wembley four days later.
The Russia friendly will be followed by a meeting with Germany in Berlin on March 27 in a rematch of the 2014 World Cup semi-final which the Germans won 7-1.