25 Roubles FIFA World Cup 2018

Russia's hosting of the 2018 FIFA World Cup was itself a geopolitical flashpoint — awarded by a FIFA executive committee later found to have accepted bribes, and staged against a backdrop of doping bans and diplomatic tensions following Crimea. The Bank of Russia issued this coin as part of a broader commemorative program spanning multiple denominations and materials, with the stainless steel 25-rouble pieces intended for genuine circulation rather than collector sets.

Vending machine compatibility drove the specification; the 25-rouble denomination had only been reintroduced in 2017, specifically to serve automated retail infrastructure ahead of the tournament.