The favorites to win next year’s World Cup in Russia "were given navigable paths to the last 16 with the coaches of Germany, Brazil, Argentina and Spain having reason to feel reasonably optimistic" after Friday’s draw, according to Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber of REUTERS. Russia, the lowest-ranked of the 32 nations taking part, "breathed a sigh of relief" after learning it will open the tournament against Saudi Arabia before playing Egypt and Uruguay in Group A. While there was no obvious "Group of Death," France was "handed some tricky fixtures" with 10th-ranked Peru, back after a 36-year absence, Denmark and Australia in Group C (REUTERS, 12/1).
DODGING QUESTIONS: Tétrault-Farber also reported FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Friday "dodged questions" about the alleged existence of a state-sponsored doping program in Russia. Infantino was speaking alongside Russian Deputy PM Vitaly Mutko and said, "FIFA doesn't participate in any speculation about any situation." Infantino said that FIFA was "testing players in and out of competition" and all tests from the 2017 Confederations Cup, Euro 2016 and 2014 World Cup had proven negative. He said, "These tests are not carried out in Russia and they are carried out by non-Russians." Infantino added that the IOC's decision next week on Russia's participation at the Winter Olympics would "have no impact on the World Cup." Mutko "vehemently denied the existence of state-backed doping in Russia" and said that the country was "being unfairly targeted" by int'l sports authorities. Mutko: "I am ready to go to any court, to any disciplinary body and say that there was never, isn't and never will be any doping cover up program" (
REUTERS, 12/1). In London, Nick Harris reported a press conference that was supposed to be about the 2018 World Cup instead became an "hour-long debacle about drugs." At least 34 Russian footballers were implicated in the state-sponsored doping plot. FIFA's press office said that it "cannot comment" on the Mutko probe because it does not know anything about the ethics chamber's work. Such is the independent "nature of it within FIFA" (
DAILY MAIL, 12/2).
AUDIENCE PREDICTIONS: Futures Sport & Entertainment estimated the cumulative live global audience for the World Cup will be 10.8 billion, a 13% increase from the 2014 World Cup. This is attributed mostly to the fact that matches played in Russia generally take place at friendlier times for European and Asian audiences. Portugal vs. Spain is expected to attract the biggest audience of the 48 group stage matches. The most likely final is Brazil vs. Germany (6% chance), and this would likely attract the second-highest viewership of all possible combinations, a cumulative global in-home audience that Futures predicts could be more than 500 million. Countries that did not qualify for the World Cup typically see audiences fall by at least 35% (Futures).
'PUT A HAPPY FACE ON': In Toronto, Cathal Kelly wrote the closing artistic portion of the "extravaganza" featured a "cornrowed Russian rapper flanked by a twerking wolf, dancing soccer balls and two stunned opera singers." If the proletariat had known where it would end up 30 years later, "the Wall might never have come down." This was "Russia's attempt to put a happy face on what is shaping up as the most unpopular World Cup since Argentina was host." Usually, the draw is the "point at which the World Cup begins to take form." It is "where the actual excitement starts." This time around "is not normal." Most modern World Cups are "potential disasters right up until the moment they start." But in this instance, it is "not a question of logistics." It is a "matter of whether the event will be dead on the ground." Russia has a "series of problems, almost all of them image-related." Whatever comes of the IOC's decision on Tuesday, we can "expect Russia to react poorly to any censure." By the time "summer rolls around, the World Cup host may not exactly be in the mood to welcome the world." On Friday, all the "looming bad vibes and vague threats of bodily harm were briefly buried under a wave of pomp and red-carpet turns." Like the 2014 Sochi Olympics, this "circus was not designed to delight foreign viewers." It is "meant to blanket the ringmaster in reflected glory" (GLOBE AND MAIL, 12/1).
