SPORTS

Russia: 15 Interesting Facts You Need to Know About The 2018 FIFA World Cup

Published

7 years ago

April 3, 2018

Paul

As the 2018 world cup builds up, here are some facts you need to know about the world most popular football tournament which will be hosted and held in Russia from June 14 to July 15, 2018, Below are a compilation of all the interesting facts about Russia 2018.

The facts are;

1. 2 December 2010 Russia, for the first time in its history, was granted the right to host the FIFA World Cup. The finals of the tournament will be held from June 14 to July 15, 2018.

2. 32 teams will take part in the competition. Russia and 13 national teams would represent European zone (Russia was automatically qualified for the Championship as the host country), five national teams from African zone, and ten from Asia and South America, and three from North American zone. Another two tournament tickets will be decided in play-offs.

3. The FIFA Cup matches will be held in 11 cities: Moscow (this city will host the finals of the cup) –
Saint Petersburg
Ekaterinburg
Kazan
Samara
Volgograd
Nizhny Novgorod
Saransk
Rostov-on-Don
Kaliningrad
Sochi

4. From 17 June to 2 July, 2017 Russia will host another FIFA tournament– the Confederations Cup. 8 teams will participate: Russia as a host country of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Germany as the current world champion, Australia as the winner of the 2015 Asia Cup, Chile as the winner of the 2015 Copa America, Mexica as the winner of play-off match between the winners of the 2013 and 2015 Golden CONCACAF Cup, New Zealand as the winner of the 2016 OFC Nations Cup and Portugal as the current champion of Europe. Another participating country will be determined only on February 5, 2017; it will be the national team who wins the African Cup of Nations.

5. The matches of Confederation Cup will be held on the stadiums of four cities. Kazan and Sochi will host semi-finals, Spartak Stadium in Moscow will host the semi-final for the third place match, and Saint Petersburg will host the first semi-final and final match of the cup.

6. In October of 2014 the FIFA unvelined the brand identity of the World Cup and its official emblem, designed in a form of the principal trophy – the world cup. The principal theme of the World Cup Russia is a dream and the cosmic outer space exploration, enlivened with folk motives featuring Firebirds, Matryoshkas and folk patterns.

7. Wolf Zabivaka™ designed by student Ekaterina Bocharova won the right to be the 2018 World Cup mascot. The main symbol of the tournament was chosen via online voting.

8. Volunteers will be assisting in the process of managing and hosting the FIFA World Cup and the Confederations Cup. They will receive special training for 20 functional directions. The organizers plan to include over 5 thousand people for hosting the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 and about 15 thousand people in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. About 20 thousand volunteers will take part in the program entitled City Volunteers.

9. The 2018 FIFA World Cup and each host city will be represented by elected ambassadors – famous people who were either born in those cities, or are somehow related to them. The ambassadors of the World Cup promote sports and healthy lifestyle and promote the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

10. Apart from football matches, guests will also be able to visit FIFA Fan Fests – special events organized by FIFA. These are officially dedicated areas to watch Confederations Cup 2017 matches, where everyone unable to come to the stadium is welcome to join the fun. This is the perfect way to safely and conveniently watch live coverage of the games between the best teams in the world.

11. The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be the 21st FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament contested by the men’s national teams of the member associations of FIFA.

12.It is scheduled to take place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded the hosting rights on 2 December 2010. This will be the first World Cup held in Europe since the 2006 tournament in Germany; all but one of the stadium venues are in European Russia, west of the Ural Mountains, to keep travel time manageable.
The final tournament will involve 32 national teams, which include 31 teams determined through qualifying competitions and the automatically qualified host team. Of the 32 teams, 20 will be making back-to-back appearances following the last tournament in 2014, including defending champions Germany, while Iceland and Panama will both be making their first appearances at a FIFA World Cup. A total of 64 matches will be played in 12 venues located in 11 cities. The final will take place on 15 July at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
The winners of the World Cup will qualify for the 2021 FIFA Confederations Cup.

13. The draw was held on 1 December 2017, at 18:00 MSK, at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow. The 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four.
For the draw, the teams were allocated to four pots based on the FIFA World Rankings of October 2017. Pot 1 contained the hosts Russia (who were automatically assigned to Position A1) and the best seven teams, Pot 2 contained the next best eight teams, and so on for Pots 3 and 4. This was different from previous draws, where only Pot 1 was based on FIFA Rankings while the remaining pots were based on geographical considerations. However, still retained was the fact that teams from the same confederation were not drawn against each other for the group stage, except for UEFA where each group contained up to two teams.

14. On 16 March 2018, the FIFA Council approved the use of video assistant referees (VAR) for the first time in a FIFA World Cup tournament.
On 29 March 2018, FIFA released the list of 36 referees and 63 assistant referees selected to oversee matches.

15. Each team must first name a preliminary squad of 30 players. From the preliminary squad, the team must name a final squad of 23 players (three of whom must be goalkeepers) by the FIFA deadline. Players in the final squad may be replaced due to serious injury up to 24 hours prior to kickoff of the team’s first match, where the replacement players do not need to be in the preliminary squad.
For players named in the 30-player preliminary squad, there is a mandatory rest period between 21 and 27 May 2018, except for those involved in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final played on 26 May.
In February 2018, it was announced that the number of players to be named in the provisional squads would be increased from 30 to 35.

Source: https://www.brainnewsradio.com/15-facts-about-the-2018-fifa-world-cup-in-russia/

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World Number One Jannik Sinner Withdraws From The ATP Rolex Paris Masters 2024

Published

4 days ago

October 29, 2024

Reporter

Jannik Sinner withdraws from Paris Masters 2024 | fab.ng

Tournament organizers announced on Tuesday that world number one Jannik Sinner (23) will not participate in the Paris Masters indoor event due to health issues.

The 23-year-old tennis star, who secured his position as year-end world number one in mid-October, suffers from an “intestinal virus contracted before he arrived in Paris.” French player Arthur Cazaux has moved up from qualifying to take Sinner’s place in the tournament draw.

Cazaux will compete against either fellow Frenchman Corentin Moutet or American Ben Shelton in his second-round match on Tuesday.

Sinner now focuses on the upcoming Masters in Turin, scheduled for November 10-17, which will feature the year’s top eight players. The Italian champion plans to defend his country’s title at the Davis Cup finals the following week in Malaga, Spain.

This is not an easy announcement to make. My team and I arrived early to prepare as best as possible, but unfortunately, I started feeling unwell during training and saw the doctor on Sunday. It turns out I’ve come down with a virus. I’m feeling better now, but I’m still not… pic.twitter.com/TjE1a3KZQu

— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) October 29, 2024

The tennis star has dominated the 2024 season, claiming his first two Grand Slam victories at the Australian Open and the US Open. His impressive performance includes seven tournament wins since the season began, with three Masters 1000 titles in Miami, Cincinnati, and Shanghai.

Recent developments have cast a shadow over Sinner’s achievements, as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has filed an appeal that could result in his suspension. The doping case emerged several weeks ago and remains unresolved.

Sinner’s relationship with the Paris indoor tournament has proven complicated. Last year, he withdrew from the competition before his second match, establishing a pattern that continues with this year’s withdrawal.

This latest setback interrupts what has otherwise been a remarkable year for the young Italian player, who has firmly established himself among tennis’s elite competitors through his consistent performances and major tournament victories.

Get more sports news here.

SPORTS

Vinicius Junior Believes Fighting Racism Led To Ballon d’Or Defeat

Published

4 days ago

October 29, 2024

Reporter

Vinicius Junior Believes Racism Led To Ballon d'Or Defeat | fab.ng

Vinicius Junior, the 24-year-old Brazil and Real Madrid forward addressed his second-place finish in the Ballon d’Or voting on Monday. Sources close to the player revealed to Reuters that he plans to continue his fight against racism, regardless of how it might affect his chances of winning awards.

After finishing behind Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri, Vinicius shared his thoughts on social media platform X. “I will do it 10 times if I have to. They’re not ready,” he posted, following Real Madrid’s decision to boycott the Paris ceremony in anticipation of the Brazilian not winning the men’s award.

Vinicius Junior has reacted after finishing second in the vote for the Men’s #BallondOr. 🥶

Will he go on to clinch the award in 2025? ⏳ pic.twitter.com/Iz3pGP0PgK

— Flashscore.com (@Flashscorecom) October 28, 2024

His management team clarified to Reuters that the post referenced his anti-racism stance. They believe this activism cost him the award, stating that “the football world is not ready to accept a player who fights against the system.”

Spanish authorities have convicted at least two individuals for racially abusing the Brazil international. This marked groundbreaking legal cases in the country.

Real Madrid celebrated other victories at the ceremony. The club won the Men’s Club of the Year award. Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti received the Men’s Coach of the Year honour. This was after leading the team to European and Spanish league victories in a near-perfect season.

France Football, the award’s organizing body, has not responded to requests for comment. A panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries determines the award winners through their votes.

Real Madrid teammate Eduardo Camavinga expressed his support on X, writing: “FOOTBALL POLITICS X. My brother, you are the best player in the world and no award can say otherwise. Love you my bro.” Multiple Real Madrid players joined in solidarity, sharing photos of Vinicius with captions declaring “You are the best.”

FOOTBALL POLITICS ❌

My brother you are the best player in the world and no award can say otherwise. Love you my bro ❤️ pic.twitter.com/X3yAH1Sl0p

— Eduardo Camavinga (@Camavinga) October 28, 2024

Brazilian football legend Marta voiced her disappointment on Instagram through a video message. She stated: “I waited all year for Vini Jr to be deservedly recognised as the best player in the world and now they come to tell me that the Ballon d’Or is not for him?”

Vinicius Junior played a crucial role in Real Madrid’s successful campaign. He helped the team secure both the Champions League and LaLiga titles. His teammate, 21-year-old Jude Bellingham, also made significant contributions during his first season with the club, scoring an impressive 19 goals.

Bellingham’s outstanding performance extended to international duty, where he helped lead England to the Euro 2024 final. The young English midfielder secured third place in the Ballon d’Or rankings. Indeed, he demonstrated the remarkable impact both he and Vinicius have made on the field.

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SPORTS

Victor Olatunji Thrilled To Achieve Manchester City Dream Despite Sparta Prague Loss

Published

1 week ago

October 25, 2024

Reporter

Victor Olatunji thrilled to achieve Manchester City dream | fab.ng

Victor Olatunji, a 25-year-old Nigerian striker, fulfilled his childhood dream of playing against Manchester City, despite Sparta Prague’s 5-0 defeat in the UEFA Champions League.

After a promising 1-1 draw against Stuttgart, the Czech Republic team hoped to extend their unbeaten streak at the Etihad Stadium. However, they were no match for Pep Guardiola’s side, who dominated the game with goals from Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, John Stones, and Matheus Nunes.

⏰ FULL TIME

Our first loss in the @ChampionsLeague league phase ❌#acsparta | #UCL pic.twitter.com/0BQaH17pBT

— AC Sparta Prague (@ACSparta_EN) October 23, 2024

In an exclusive interview, Victor Olatunji admitted that he did not expect such a one-sided result. He emphasized that Sparta Prague fought hard but was ultimately outclassed by Manchester City. Nevertheless, he expressed immense satisfaction at having played against one of the world’s top clubs.

He said,

“It was a good game, a good test for us as well and tough luck for us, that’s how I would describe it.

“I did not expect this kind of result but we know this (Manchester City) are a good side and we played our game.

“We all know Manchester City but we tried to do what we needed to do but the result (did not go our way).

“It is every child’s dream and it has always been my dream to play against them and also to play for them.

“So, it’s a dream come true for me because I watched them play when I was very young.”

Before the game, Sparta Prague manager Lars Friis praised Pep Guardiola, calling him the world’s best coach.

“Pep is the best coach in the world and the best there has ever been,” he told the media.

“I’m not only talking about winning trophies but the way he has developed the game and invented systems.

“He has been a big inspiration for many coaches, many of them in the Premier League. It was the same for me in my early days.

“A lot of what goes on in the football world I believe comes from his head. It is a pleasure to play against a coach like Guardiola but when the game is on it is a game. But for me, he is the best coach we have ever seen.”

Out of this world! 🌎

🤯 @ErlingHaaland pic.twitter.com/zkDoUdPCCm

— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 23, 2024

Olatunji was substituted in the 60th minute for Albion Rrahmani after a lacklustre performance. He failed to record any shots on target or key passes and had a low number of touches and passes.

Despite not scoring against Manchester City, Olatunji remained undeterred. He acknowledged the exceptional quality of Guardiola’s squad and understood the difficulty of scoring against such a strong team.

“Of course, I am not disappointed not to have scored against them because that is how the game went. More importantly, I am happy that have played in this game.”

Sparta Prague has lost three of their last five matches, with only one win and one draw. Olatunji quickly dismissed any concerns about the team’s performance under manager Lars Friis.

“There is nothing wrong my team; we will surely bounce back.”

Olatunji has scored three goals in ten league matches this season. He has assured his fans that he will continue to perform well and contribute to the team’s success.

“What I can tell my fans is that they should expect more goals from me as the season progresses.”

Victor Olatunji joined Sparta Prague on a multi-year contract on July 17, 2023. Subsequently, he played a crucial role in the club’s qualification for the 2023-24 Champions League, scoring a late goal in a 4-1 comeback victory against Dinamo Zagreb.

Next, Sparta Prague will face Viktoria Plzen on Sunday, hoping to secure a much-needed win.

Check out more sports news here.