By Andrew Warshaw
July 27 – The millions of fans who tuned in across the globe to watch Saturday’s 2018 World Cup draw could have been forgiven for thinking everything in Russia’s garden was rosy.
By Andrew Warshaw
July 24 – As they prepare for their biggest day since being awarded the tournament, Russia’s 2018 World Cup organisers are being constantly reminded about the issue of racism that shows little sign of diminishing.
By Paul Nicholson
July 15 – Russian focus on preparing a competitive team for the 2018 World Cup has intensified following the departure of Fabio Capello after a string of poor results, with a search for a new – Russian national – coach underway. The federation is also on the hunt for a new president with Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko emerging as frontrunner to return to a post he has held before.
By Paul Nicholson
July 14 – Russian preparations for the 2018 World Cup may be progressing smoothly when it comes to building stadia and planning transport infrastructure, but dissatisfaction with the national team’s progress under coach Fabio Capello has resulted in his contract being terminated three years before the finals.
By Paul Nicholson
July 1 – Could there be a gentle thawing of political and business relations between the West and East – at least the European West? And is the 2018 World Cup the bridge to a wider and renewed co-operation with Russia?
By Paul Nicholson
June 30 – With build projects for the final two stadia in Yekaterinburg and Kaliningrad being approved by Russian central government, the 30 day countdown to the first official event of the 2018 World Cup has begun. The Preliminary Draw will be held in St Petersburg on July 25 with 141 teams in the pots that will be drawn by FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke.
By Paul Nicholson
June 23 – Russia has formalised a 30 billion rubles ($560 million) cut in its 2018 World Cup spending. The government cuts will be around planned infrastructure projects with hotel development plans being the hardest hit. There are no plans to cut spending on stadia and construction will continue unaffected.
By Paul Nicholson in Moscow
June 12 – Russia is forging ahead with its transport infrastructure build whether there is a crisis within FIFA or not, said Nikolay Asaul, deputy minister of transport of the Russian Federation, speaking at the World Football Forum in Moscow.
By Paul Nicholson in Moscow
June 10 – Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko (pictured) has reiterated that Russia’s bid for 2018 was a clean bid and that there was no corruption. Mutko spoke after a series of meetings between the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee and a FIFA delegation in the Oblast Government House in Samara.
By Paul Nicholson
June 9 – With FIFA meeting Russia 2018 World Cup organisers in Samara early this week to discuss progress, on Thursday in Moscow clubs, host cities and suppliers and builders of the 2018 infrastructure will be meeting at the World Football Forum conference to share information and discuss the challenges they are facing.
By Paul Nicholson
June 8 – Alexei Sorokin, head of the organising committee for the Russia 2018 World Cup, has expressed frustration at having to repeat that the Russian bid was clean and transparent. Sorokin will speak again later this week at the World Football Forum in Moscow where he will outline progress in the preparations for 2018.
May 22 – Russia is warming to its World Cup 2018 task and preparing to welcome FIFA’s 208 federations to St Petersburg for the Preliminary World Cup Draw on July 25, the first major world event in the country running up to the finals.
May 21 – Russia’s build for the 2018 World Cup is having a knock-on effect for other sports with Samara being the latest to announce that as well as the new Kosmos Arena, the region is proposing a number of other new sports facilities.
May 18 – Russian stadium construction for 2018 is ahead of schedule and the stadia will be delivered in advance of deadlines, according to officials in Nizhniy Novgorod and Kaliningrad. The two cities are both building new stadiums for the World Cup.
May 8 – The Russian investment in building infrastructure and facilities for the 2018 World Cup appears to be having a positive knock-on effect for sports facilities generally in the country with 12 new sports centres expected to be opened in Moscow in 2015.