World Cup organizers said that most of the empty seats visible at England’s match against Belgium "were due to people preferring to stay inside the hospitality areas," according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. Russia 2018 organizing committee CEO Alexei Sorokin added that British government representatives were "welcome to come to support England next week" and that Russia remained "puzzled" by the boycott. Sorokin said that there had been “some complaints” about the empty seats at the match in Kaliningrad in the hospitality areas, but only 66 seats there were actually unsold. He said, "Many don’t want to watch the actual match outside but stay inside the hospitality areas during the game." The British government is "not sending any ministers to the World Cup after blaming Russia for the Salisbury spy poisoning." Sorokin added, "They’re always welcome. We are puzzled by the decision of certain politicians not to visit the World Cup and support their teams. ... We will welcome any fans from any country" (LONDON TIMES, 6/29).
