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World Cup

With A Year to Go, Russia’s World Cup Faces Challenges

Published

7 years ago

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The FIFA Confederations Cup is now over. Attention now shifts to the more glamorous and tasking competition, the lead single sport event in the world- The FIFA World Cup.
After years of controversy, Russian officials think their World Cup has weathered the storm.
AP reports that stadiums are either finished or nearing completion, and the Confederations Cup ran smoothly.
“The project is very big and there are some delays or operational questions, minor questions, but nothing critical,” Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, who oversees World Cup preparations, said.
But with a year to go, some serious concerns remain around Russia’s 643.5-billion-ruble ($10.8 billion) World Cup dream.
Workers’ deaths and alleged rights abuses taint the new stadiums. Teams will live in far-flung, hard-to-secure locations. Many of the stadiums risk becoming white elephants.
Here is a look at some of the key issues:
STADIUMS
Russia is desperate to avoid what Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko calls “the Brazilian scenario” — the construction delays and organizational disarray which marred the start of the last World Cup in 2014.
That looks assured, with most of the 12 stadiums either complete or close to completion, though some have gone over budget.
But did Russia cut corners on workers’ rights to get them ready? A report this month by Human Rights Watch accused Russia of numerous abuses on pay and conditions, and notes at least 17 deaths during construction.
Evidence that North Korean workers — who are employed around the world in conditions often likened to slavery — worked on the St. Petersburg stadium has brought concern from FIFA.

LEGACY
Many of Russia’s 12 stadiums look certain to be rarely — if ever — full again after the World Cup.
Just five of the 11 host cities have top-flight football clubs. The Russian Premier League attracts average crowds of 11,500 — among the lowest for major European leagues — and it seems new stadiums may be a temporary attraction that don’t solve fan apathy in the long-term.
Premier League side Rubin Kazan got an initial attendance bump after moving into a 45,000-seat World Cup ground in 2014, but crowds have dropped almost 30 percent over the last two seasons to 9,750. One home game against FC Krasnodar in April attracted barely 3,000 fans.
Meanwhile, Mordovia Saransk averaged 2,400 fans at games this season as it was relegated to the third tier, but will inherit a 45,000-seat World Cup ground next year. Sochi won’t have a professional club at all in 2017-18.
In Kaliningrad and Yekaterinburg, legacy concerns led Russian organizers to slash the capacity of World Cup stadiums from the original 45,000 to 25,000, with 10,000 more temporary seats.
Only the St. Petersburg stadium — home to games at the 2020 European Championship — and Moscow’s two grounds seem likely to be regularly in demand.

TEAM BASES
It’s not just about the host cities. The 32 teams taking part will be scattered across the country in newly built training bases as the Russian government tries to give other regions a taste of World Cup legacy — and lavish state spending.
Some locations in less glamorous areas of Russia are a hard sell for foreign teams, even if the accommodation is luxurious.
There’s Dzherzhinsk, an industrial city plagued by pollution from chemical plants, or Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, which was ravaged by war in the 1990s and early 2000s. Any team there will live with heavily armed guards. Many bases are in remote locations requiring air travel to even the nearest host city.
Small wonder that teams are expected to prioritize locations near the resort city of Sochi. Moscow’s heavy traffic is also a concern.
Still, team training bases may prove more useful for long-term legacy than the stadiums, since many include renovations of municipal football grounds.

FAN EXPERIENCE
Foreign fans at the Confederations Cup have largely seemed happy with Russian hospitality.
Tournament volunteers, police and paramedics have all had English classes to help foreigners in need, and free travel between host cities is on offer for ticket-holders.
Still, the real test is yet to come. The World Cup will bring many more foreign fans, posing a challenge for provincial transport links unused to such crowds.
Russia fans have little to be excited about, too, after their team exited the Confederations Cup in the group stage.

SECURITY
Russian authorities take the threat of terrorism at the World Cup seriously, especially after a bombing on the St. Petersburg subway in April.
At the Confederations Cup, thousands of police have operated tight airport-style security around stadiums, with more on key transport links.
The World Cup is even tougher to secure, with stadiums and team bases scattered across Russia. In the last five years, the host city of Volgograd has been hit by bombings, while Pyatigorsk, Grozny and Astrakhan, home to training bases, have seen attacks on security forces.
There are also fears about football hooliganism after Russians fans fought English supporters in France at last year’s European Championship. The Russian hooligans had martial arts training and left several England fans badly hurt, including one in a coma.
Russian authorities have blacklisted 191 fans with criminal records, and hours before the Confederations Cup began, dozens more, including members of radical groups, were refused permission to attend the tournament.

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FIFA READINESS
Soccer’s world governing body also has work to do.
FIFA has pioneered video reviews of key moments like penalty calls during the Confederations Cup, but faced criticism that players and fans inside stadiums aren’t kept in the loop.
During Chile’s game against Cameroon last week, players milled about in confusion during one key review, and some headed toward the changing rooms, apparently thinking the referee had signaled for half-time.
FIFA also needs to hammer out a TV broadcast deal in Russia. Mutko has accused FIFA of charging so much that Russian networks would make a loss, and of trying to force the government to chip in.
A deal for the Confederations Cup was only reached six days before the tournament kicked off, avoiding the embarrassment of the host nation’s fans not being able to watch their team play.
AP Sports Writer Tales Azzoni in Kazan, Russia, contributed to this report.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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South Africa may field Nigerian against Nigeria in World Cup qualifier

Published

2 days ago

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May 4, 2024

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As the destiny-shaping World Cup qualifying  encounter of Nigeria and South Africa approaches, the South Africans have discovered a new sensation in their fold who is of Nigerian origin.

Nigerian-born Ime Okon has caught the attention of football followers in South Africa and there is great pressure to draft him into the Bafana Bafana squad before Nigeria calls him up.

Okon, a 20-year is  is one of the breakthrough young stars for SuperSport United this season together with Shandre Campbell, holds dual citizenship because his father is Nigerian and his mother is South African.

He plays for SuperSport United as a central defender. Bafana Bafana legend Andre Arendse has urged South Africa to be decisive and secure the future of highly-promising youngster.

He has been named in provisional squads a few times by Bafana coach Hugo Broos but he is yet to earn a cap, and Arendse is concerned South Africa may lose a “super talent” to rivals Nigeria.

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As a sign of his burgeoning career, the tall central defender has made 18 appearances for coach Gavin Hunt in the DStv Premiership and has tasted continental football with six appearances in the Confederation Cup.

“Ime Okon is the next one on the radar [of Ronwen Williams when it comes to development] and I don’t want to hype him up or put him out there and say he is the best because he is only 20,” said Arendse, who is assistant coach to Hunt.

“He is a super talent but I am not intending to put pressure on him though I know he can handle it. He is starting to prove he can handle pressure during games and we need to look after him.

“You spoke about dual citizenship and we better be careful we don’t lose him because he is definitely one for the future. I know what I am talking about because I have had the privilege of playing behind some of the best defenders in South Africa.

“I don’t need to mention names, you guys know who I am talking about, but I am telling you in a few year’s time he’s going to be up there.”

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Arendse was speaking as United prepared to travel to Richards Bay for their tricky Nedbank Cup last 16 clash.

Okon’s club-mate, Thulani “Tyson” Hlatshwayo has also joined a growing list of personalities urging South Africa to be decisive and secure the future of Okon. 

“To be able to crack the Nigerian national team, he needs to play in Europe — but we need him in Bafana Bafana. When you look at our centre backs, Mothobi Mvala has injuries, there is also Grant Kekana and Siyanda Xulu — and I read Siyabonga Ngezana had an issue with his travel documents, but I don’t know what is happening there. 

“His father is from Nigeria and mother from South Africa. He grew up here, he studied here and coach Gavin Hunt took him from Randburg Football Club. He is South African and he speaks Afrikaans.” 

Hlatshwayo said there is banter among players whenever South Africa plays against Nigeria and he has jokingly threatened not to help him if he supports the Super Eagles against Bafana. 

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“Every time there is Afcon, when Nigeria is playing he is with Nigeria and when South Africa is playing against Nigeria we have a lot of banter in the team. I told him I am going to stop helping him if he chose to play for Nigeria because there are things in his game that need to be polished.  

“The more he plays, the more experience he is going to get and he will do well. I don’t know if it has something to do with him being young but he is quick and strong and we complement one another very well.” 

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Can Finidi George take the Super Eagles to a new height?

Published

3 days ago

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May 3, 2024

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA

The new man on the saddle for the Super Eagles has been a coach since 2021 when he took over Enyimba. He is now upgraded as Nigeria’s manager.

Now the naturally cool-headed man now faces a baptism of fire in what will be his first assignment as confirmed Super Eagles’ manager.

In 30 days time, the Super Eagles will face one of their arch-rivals, South Africa in what is a ‘must-win’ match. There is zero margin of error. Even a draw spells doom to not just the team, but the manager whose goal earned Nigeria their first World Cup qualification 31 years ago.

At the moment, going into MatchDay 3, Nigeria surprisingly trail third behind unlikely leaders, Rwanda while South Africa follow.

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The Super Eagles will need the maximum points, and possibly with good winning margin, against South Africa to have any realistic chance of heading the Group C when the series come to an end.

A win takes Nigeria to the summit with five points while the Super Eagles will be expecting Benin to win their home match against Rwanda.

In essence, the match with South Africa on June 3 will be the most challenging task that Finidi George will be facing in his close to three years coaching career in Nigeria.

 Will he deliver when he also has additional responsibility of ensuring Enyimba finish at the to of the Nigeria Premier League? He is facing two complex situations at the same time.

The NFF expectedly did not give details of his contract and the relationship Finidi George will be having with his original employers, Enyimba.

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The good thing is that having spent 20 months as an assistant to Jose Peseiro, he is expected to be familiar with most of the players expected to be called up for the destiny shaping encounters with South Africa and Benin Republic.

 

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Casablanca favoured to host 2030 World Cup opening match

Published

2 weeks ago

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April 23, 2024

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Morocco To Launch World’s Biggest Stadium Ahead Of 2030 World Cup -

The World Cup that marks 100 years of the competition may be six years away, the jostle for the two key matches – the opening and the final – has turned a two horse race.

In all, there will be 104 matches. Morocco is jostling with Spain to host one of the two key matches.

Portugal is ruled out for either the opening or the final match as it has no stadium with capacity of over 65,000.

The biggest stadium in Portugal is Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica.

Morocco on the other hand is planning on what will be the largest stadium in the world.

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The Grand Casablanca Stadium is being designed to hold 115,000 spectators in its bowel.

According to Paris-based publication, Jeune Afrique, Casablanca is favoured to host the opening match.

Other countries besides the hosts are set to hold matches. Three matches will be held in South America – one in Montevideo, in Uruguay, where the first World Cup took place in 1930, one in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and another in Asuncion, Paraguay. The remaining 101 matches have yet to be allocated.

Sources close to the matter suggest that 20 stadiums (11 in Spain, 6 in Morocco, and 3 in Portugal) could host the World Cup matches.

Other countries besides the hosts are set to hold matches. Three matches will be held in South America – one in Montevideo, in Uruguay, where the first World Cup took place in 1930, one in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and another in Asuncion, Paraguay. The remaining 101 matches have yet to be allocated.

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Morocco, on the other hand, has chosen six stadiums; Rabat, Fez, Agadir, Marrakech, Tangier, and the Grand Casablanca Stadium in Benslimane.

It is estimated that Morocco will host at least a third of the matches.  we can roughly estimate that Morocco will have around a third of the 101 matches to be allocated, give or take,” a source close to the matter told Jeune Afrique.

A source quoted a Moroccan journalist, Nassim El Kerf as prefering the kingdom to host the opening match as it guarantees the featuring of Morocco instead of the final match in which the host country may not feature.

France are the last hosts to feature in a World Cup final in which they beat Brazil 3-0 in 1998. It is therefore impossible to know ahead of time if a host country will get to the final.

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