"Russia is setting its sights exclusively on being awarded the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup and has formally withdrawn its bid for the 2022 edition of the world's biggest and most important single sports event," the Russian bid committee said in a statement.
"We hope to be entrusted with the hosting of FIFA's flagship event and are ready to inspire the global football family in 2018," the statement quoted Russia's bid chairman and the country's Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko as saying.
Football's governing body is due to announce the winning bids in Zurich on December 2.
The bidding process has been overshadowed by allegations of vote-selling, with two members of FIFA's executive committee, Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Reynald Temarii of Tahiti, being provisionally suspended for 30 days.
