FIFA blamed "no-shows" for the "embarrassing number of empty seats" at Friday's Group A game between Egypt and Uruguay in Ekaterinburg. Despite selling more than 32,000 tickets for the 33,000-capacity stadium, more than 5,000 ticket holders failed to attend, prompting FIFA to open an investigation into what happened. A FIFA spokesperson said, "We can confirm that the matter related to the match in Ekaterinburg was mainly linked to 'no-shows' from all constituent groups" (RTÉ, 6/16).
Team England was forced to deal with swarms of bugs during its 2-1 victory over Tunisia on Monday.GETTY IMAGES
Swarms of flying bugs "are causing chaos for fans and broadcasters around Volgograd," where England played Tunisia on Monday. It is understood the city knew that the bugs -- "a mixture of mosquitoes and midges" -- would be a "nuisance." On Saturday, it "deployed helicopters to spray the nearby marshland with pesticides." City officials reportedly asked the Visit Russia tourism board to include in its guide to the city the fact they had "deployed chemical weapons" to target the insects. However, it was noted that in the light of the Sergei Skripal poisoning in Salisbury, England, "this might not be the best choice of words" (London GUARDIAN, 6/18).
They may not have had a victory to celebrate but the Australian fans "won plenty of admirers" in Kazan, Russia, "having proven a major hit with the locals, in particularly pub owners after drinking pubs dry." The capital of Tatarstan "was turned into a sea of green and gold on Saturday" as an estimated 15,000 Australians descended on the city's center (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 6/18).
Nikola Kalinic was reportedly sent home from the World Cup by Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic after the AC Milan forward "refused to come on as a second-half substitute during the 2-0 defeat of Nigeria on Saturday." Kalinic, 30, who was starting his fourth successive int'l on the bench, "claimed he had a back injury before telling Dalic he was unable to play" (London TELEGRAPH, 6/18).
Nike "responded defiantly" on Sunday following criticism over its refusal to provide cleats for the Iran World Cup team due to U.S. sanctions against the country. Shortly before the tournament, the Iranian team said that Nike "pulled out of a commitment to supply its cleats." Nike said in a statement, "US sanctions mean that, as a US company, NIKE cannot supply shoes to players in the Iranian National team at this time. Sanctions applicable to NIKE have been in place for many years and are enforceable by law" (USA TODAY, 6/17).
When South Korea competes at the World Cup in Russia, "North Koreans will be cheering for the team," defectors living in the South said. Football is "one of the most popular sports among ordinary North Koreans," along with volleyball and table tennis, and they will "most likely be watching South Korea's matches" on TV. One defector said, "Soccer is highly cherished as a sport that boosts solidarity and collectivity, which are crucial elements in North Korean society" (REUTERS, 6/18).
