World Cup fans 'will see cash go further due to improving exchange rates'

Football fans planning trips to the World Cup will see their cash stretch further as currency fluctuations help to bring down the costs, research suggests.

Post Office Travel Money said that, due to the strengthening of sterling against the Russian ruble, England fans will get the equivalent of £66 more cash on a £500 currency transaction than they would have done a year ago, and £202 more than five years ago.

The relatively low cost of food and drink in Russia compared with some other countries also means fans can typically expect to pay around £1.91 for a beer in Russia compared with £3.42 in the 2014 Brazil World Cup, the research found.

Andrew Brown, head of travel money at the Post Office, said: "We advise fans to budget carefully and ensure they don't run out of money."

He added: "The important thing is not to leave changing money until it is too late to get a decent exchange rate."