FEVERISH FANS THRONG RUSSIA FOR SPECTACLE

World Cup fever is finally taking hold in Russia, where wild enthusiasm in provincial centres such as chilly Kazan is filtering through to Moscow ahead of Thursday's opening match in the capital.

While curious locals have clamoured to see the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar, it has proved a slow build-up to the June 14-July 15 showpiece, which is being held in Russia for the first time.

The tournament opener featuring Russia and Saudi Arabia at the imposing 80,000-capacity Luzhniki stadium has so far failed to capture the imagination of Muscovites, although they have warmly welcomed foreign fans.

Groups of South American supporters with drums and whistles took to the streets around Red Square this week, posing for pictures with shoppers. — AFP

Russian women should refrain from sleeping with visiting World Cup fans so as to avoid becoming single mothers with mixed-race children, a lawmaker who heads the parliament's family committee said Wednesday.

Tamara Pletneva, a 70-year-old Communist who leads the lower house's family, women and children body, told Govorit Moskva radio station she hoped women would not date visiting fans and get pregnant.

The World Cup hosted by Russia could mean “there will be young women who meet someone and then give birth... I hope not,” she said.

— AFP