What to expect from part one of Fifa’s Ethics World Cup double header? Russia 2018 has ticked all the boxes so far: disputes over alleged corruption, human rights abuse, unchecked domestic racism, homophobia and fan violence – while the tournament organiser, Vitaly Mutko, ended 2017 being accused by the IOC of leading “an unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport” via state-sponsored doping, and stepped down. He denies wrongdoing. It’s a lot for Qatar 2022 to live up to. Vladimir Putin says overseas media should lay off and report the bigger picture. “We will bring closer the big and friendly football family – the family that values sports, friendship and fair competition.”

The matches should have a familiar feel, too: Germany and Brazil favourites; England trying to handle the impossible pressure of an easy-on-paper group; and Iceland making their debut, ready to humiliate anyone who takes them lightly. They start against Argentina in Group D. “When you think of a World Cup you think of Argentina and Brazil,” says their coach, Heimir Hallgrimsson. “So for us, this is a little bit romantic.”

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