Political hostility has unfortunately overshadowed the excitement for fans leading up the World Cup in Russia. Despite Gareth Southgate trying to allay the fears of England football fans, many fans have decided against travelling to Russia for the World Cup experience in fear of violence and other concerns.
Royal Family Chooses to Stay Away
No member of the Royal Family will be in attendance, which some will say is a clear indication of the safety concerns. The Salisbury attack has added further fear over the political climate between England and Russia, as large numbers of the loyal regular travelling fan base make the decision to watch the games from the safety of their own home.
There will of course still be plenty of England fans making the journey to Russia in hope of seeing Harry Kane lift the coveted trophy that has not been won by England since 1966.
An event as big as The World Cup is always going to be a safety concern, with threats of terrorism also being aimed at Ronaldo and Messi recently. So with everything that is going on, anyone in two minds over going is likely to choose to stay at home.
It is a real shame that football fans need to think about their safety before deciding whether to attend a football tournament that is intended to be a celebration that unites nations.
Source: www.bbc.com
Mayor of Volgograd Welcomes England Fans to Celebrate the World Cup
Mayor of Volgograd has been keen to set the record straight, as he sees no danger for England fans who want to visit the country to watch the games. He says “Some people are trying to make our country look bad. But the World Cup will be a big celebration!”
At Euro 2016, pictures and videos emerged of violence between Russia and England fans, with some of the videos looking like ambushes on innocent bystanders who were simply enjoying a peaceful drink. However, Russian fans will be adamant that England fans are the ones that are the trouble causers.
With such a footballing spectacular to look forward to, we are all hoping that it is the football that makes all of the headlines and not incidents of violence or bad feeling. It would be great if this World Cup could see rival fans celebrate together, without political history or any other underlying animosity getting in the way of having a good time.