At this rate Russia are going to have an easy first round at their own World Cup. It's not unthinkable that the list of countries not wanting to play football against Russia is going to grow by 2018. And if that is so, there will be many requests not to be drawn in the same group as Russia at the World Cup.
Ukraine-Russia is probably not going to happen for a very long time. With Vladimir Putin dragging that conflict out to suit Russia's needs a status quo in 3 years seems likely.
Turkey are now portrayed, by the Russians, as Russia's new enemy over the downing of the Russian fighter jet and the refusal of Turkey to apologise. Today, Vitaly Mutko, President of the Russian Football Union, member of Fifa's Executive Committee, Chairman of the Russia 2018 organising committee announced that as part of the sanctions against Turkey no Russian football teams will be able to engage Turkish players in the January transfer window. And no Russian teams will go to Turkey for winter training camps. Turkey won't be invited to Russia for a friendly any time soon.
The Americans? Well, it was they who started the investigations into the allegations of corruption and bribery at Fifa, which led to the call for an investigation into how Russia got to be awarded to World Cup. Putin maintains it is all a conspiracy by the Americans to have Russia removed as hosts, all because the Americans are jealous. Depending on what happens with Turkey and Syria this could get worse.
The Syria situation could change. Right now Russia is about the only ally of the Syrian President al-Assad. Who Russian planes are bombing is still unclear but by 2018 there could be a different Syria. And whoever is leading that Syria might remember what the Russians did in 2015. Whether Syria will even qualify is still a big uncertainty but they are looking like they could be the story of the unlikely World Cup participants.
And who else? With Russia's political posturing right now they are sure to have more vocal opponents soon. By association, the whole of the UEFA member nations could be strongly anti-Russian, more than they are now over Putin's defence of Sepp Blatter and everything to do with Fifa. Whoever wins the next Fifa presidential election could have a huge impact on the relationship between Russia and the rest of Europe.
There will probably be quite a different political picture come 2018. One thing is for sure. The chances of politics staying out of football seem more unlikely than ever.
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