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The whole world will tune into the 2018 FIFA World Cup curtain-raiser between Russia and Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
As Vladimir Putin’s Russia prepares to host the biggest sporting spectacle in the planet, officials and organisers of the tournament will have to work round-the-clock to ensure a smooth ride over the next 32-odd days.
Fan violence and racism will be the biggest challenges in front of the Russian authorities which has tarnished the country’s already fragile reputation in the past.
But Russia has pledged to crack down on racism as the country faces increased scrutiny before Putin officially declares the tournament open. Russia will host World Cup from June 14 to July 15 in 11 cities including Moscow, St Petersburg and Sochi where the fans are infamous for their short-tempered nature.
Russian soccer history has in the past been marred by discrimination against non-white people, and incidents of racist and homophobic chants also shot up over the past year.
