By David Owen
December 6 – Russian World Cup bid leader Alexei Sorokin (pictured) was struck by malaria during his country’s successful campaign to win the right to host the 2018 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 2 – Cometh the hour, cometh Vladimir Putin. Well a few hours late, to be precise.
By David Owen in Zurich
December 2 – The Spanish bid chief executive officer Miguel Ángel López was part right: all the fish WERE sold – only not to the Spanish.
By David Owen in Zurich
December 2 – Hosting the World Cup would help Russians in their quest to build a new country and overcome the difficulties they faced in the 20th century, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov told FIFA today, as Russia brought down the curtain on an intensive two days of bid presentations.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 1 – The race to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups reaches a nail-biting climax tomorrow with Spain/Portugal and England emerging as potential opponents for the final round of bidding for 2018 and the United States out in front for the latter tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
November 30 – Will Vladimir Putin come or won’t he? That was the burning question on everyone’s lips as Russia’s 2018 World Cup bid team made their final media appearance today before putting the finishing touches to their campaign to become hosts for the first time.
By Duncan Mackay in Rio de Janeiro
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
November 23 – Russia’s Government are making final plans for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to travel to Zurich next week to support the country’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup – putting an end to doubts over whether he would make the trip.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
October 30 – Russian officials have angrily hit back at new accusations by the Sunday Times that they had offered inducements to secure Amos Adamu’s vote before the FIFA Executive Committee member was suspended.
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By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
October 28 – Russia’s 2018 World Cup bid leader today called for an end to the war of words with England and urged both nations to bury their differences.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 19 – The head of Russia’s 2018 World Cup bid has sought to distance himself from western press reports quoting him as denigrating aspects of society in England – Russia’s main rivals for 2018 – insisting he was misinterpreted.
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By Andrew Warshaw
October 19 – Russia could be the latest country to face accusations of breaking FIFA’s strict code of ethics in the latest row to undermine bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
October 14 – Russia has a “very big” chance of beating England to win its bid to host the 2018 World Cup, the country’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin predicted today.
By Andrew Warshaw in Sochi
September 23 – Russian officials are hoping that the choice of Sochi to host the 2014 Winter Olympics will boost their chances of landing the 2018 World Cup as well.
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By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
September 22 – Russian 2018 World Cup bid officials have flown to Cairo in an attempt to woo Africa’s FIFA Executive Committee members as the build-up to the all-important December 2 vote intensifies.
By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
September 21 – The most important official in Russian sport has launched another passionate defence of his country’s record on racism and urged FIFA not to be influenced by “stereotypes and misconceptions” when it votes on where to stage the 2018 World Cup.