WORLD CUP DIARY

THE 12 stadia that have hosted the tournament look superb, but in at least six a row is ongoing over who will pick up the tab.

A plan for the host cities to pay for the upkeep has not gone down well outside of Moscow and St Petersburg, who boast successful club sides.

Several of the others do not even have teams that play in the top tier of Russian football, some drawing crowds of between just 1,000 to 5,000.

It is a row that has been benched while the World Cup is on – but there is a fear for the future of some venues that may become disused white elephants.