Dear Diary

A day in the life of soccer columnist Kurtis Larson on the ground in Russia

MOSCOW — Soccer’s governing body describes it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

With 15,000 volunteers helping run this FIFA World Cup, I often find myself weighing the hierarchy of volunteer jobs at this tournament.

My hope is organizers aren’t dense enough to confine teenage volunteers to a single task during this tournament.

I feel sorry for the poor bloke who seemingly stands for hours on end, informing cantankerous journalists they can’t use the stairs while his colleagues are literally standing next to me in the stadium watching France-Denmark.

The lines are blurred between who is paid to work here and who’s here as a volunteer.

Is the lady overseeing the portable toilets at least making minimum wage to rub shoulders with people who just relieved themselves?

Some jobs certainly are superior to others at this tournament.

The good ones present an opportunity to just stand around and watch the games.

As for the others, well, just hope you don’t get stuck outside the stadium to deal with drunk football fans who aren’t interested in paying you to use the washroom.

■ Speaking of porta-potties, it seems outdoor toilets are now 33% off.

Due to backlash — or something else — the cost to use portable toilets outside stadiums has plummeted from 30 rubles (63 cents) to 20.

That is, unless you’re working at this FIFA World Cup. Then it’s free to pee — at least it was for me.

But that could be because I arrive at the stadiums five hours early.

■ The Luzhniki Palace of Sports is less than a kilometre from Russia’s national soccer venue.

The Palace, of course, is where Canada met the USSR in the 1972 Summit Series, winning three of four contests.

I’m going to take a walk over there before a Round of 16 match that’s scheduled to be played here on Canada Day.

It only seems appropriate.

■ The most scared I’ve been on this trip so far?

Realizing I entered the “credit card” only line at the grocery store with a dozen impatient customers staring me down.