Inside Story

What will be Russia’s World Cup legacy?

Russia hosted what many consider to be an extremely successful World Cup that changed perceptions of many visitors.

For more than a month, people around the world were captivated by a single event,the football World Cup in Russia.

The highs of victory and the lows of defeat were shared by millions of fans watching on television and attending the games.

For host Russia, it has been a resounding success. FIFA’s president called it “the best” tournament ever.

But Russia’s government hasn’t escaped criticism, especially from rights groups who say it’s used the World Cup to distract from challenges at home.

So after the euphoria, what’s next for Moscow and the many challenges it faces at home and abroad?
And what lessons for Qatar, the hosts of the next tournament in 2022?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests:

Maria Lipman – independent Russian analyst

Bill Law – founder of Gulf Matters and Contributor to the Middle East Eye

Rob Harris – global football writer