Blatter vows ‘total support’ to Russia for 2018 WC

“Trust in Russian authorities, organising committee, and in the Russian people”. The LOC chief said Blatter has taken more responsibility that is beyond his control to do the good for football.

Sepp Blatter insisted that football does a lot for peace and it is very important, especially, in the current geopolitical scenario.

Blatter is in St Petersburg for Saturday’s World Cup draw, his first overseas trip since Federation Internationale de Football Association was plunged into turmoil by criminal investigations into allegations of systematic bribery.

The countries are divided into FIFA’s five confederations, with 31 spots in the 2018 tournament allocated between them.

The second qualifying round is in full swing in the zone of Asia, that is why the representatives of this zone of the world did not participate in the draw.

All in all, Saturday’s draw meant little for the U.S. team’s hopes for World Cup qualification.

In response, Putin said to Blatter: “As promised, we will do all we can for sportsmen and fans alike to feel at home here”.

“If this happens during the 2018 World Cup it may become a serious problem as the whole world will be able to watch it”, he said earlier this week.

Italy coach Antonio Conte is looking forward to facing Spain in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup and is happy his side avoided Germany . More than 140 teams will be involved in a 33 month campaign.

“In theory, Italy and Spain are the favourite teams in the group”, Conte said.

The draw put Spain and Italy, champions of 2010 and 2006, in a group, and pairs old rivals England and Scotland together. Only the top team from each group qualify’s directly to the tournament, while the eight best runners up head to the pay-offs. But Germany national team manager Oliver Bierhoff brought the 2014 champs luck, picking out the Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Norway, Azerbaijan and San Marino to face the Germans in Group C.

First part of the main event of the draw pitted CONCACAF qualifying team against that of AFC in the Intercontinental Play-off, leaving OFC’s champion to face the stern test of an opponent from the CONMEBOL.

The matches of the World cup will be held between June 14 and July 15 2018 at 12 stadiums located across Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Samara.