Russia Warns That Locusts Could Destroy Fields at 2018 World Cup Stadiums

The Russian government said on Wednesday that locusts could ruin football pitches in FIFA World Cup 2018 stadiums this summer.

Pyotr Chekmaryov of the agriculture ministry said Russia must not "disgrace ourselves in front of global society" as the country gears up for the showpiece event this summer.

Per the Associated Press, he added: "We have more or less learned how to deal with locusts, but this year I'm afraid we could end up in an international locust scandal. Soccer fields are green. Locusts like places where there is a lot of green. What if they fly to the places where football is played?" 

Chekmaryov was particularly concerned about the problem in the city of Volgograd, where England will open their campaign against Tunisia on Monday 18 June.

The city will also play host to group games between Nigeria and Iceland, Saudi Arabia and Egypt and Japan and Poland.

The 2018 World Cup will be held in 12 stadiums spanning 11 different Russian cities including Moscow, St Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Kaliningrad, Ekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Saransk and, of course Volgograd.

The Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow is set to hold the opening game between Russia and Saudi Arabia, as well as the World Cup final on Sunday 15 July.

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At such a prestigious event, it will be expected that the pitches are as pristine as possible in order to allow teams to play their best football and put on a real show.

Locusts are not the only problem Russia have had to deal with in the buildup to the tournament. Vitaly Mutko, the head of the 2018 World Cup organising committee, was forced to step down in December.

Mutko stepped down amid "allegations of involvement in Russia's doping program," according to Martha Kelner at The Guardian. 

Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharov has also said that reporters from the United Kingdom have received a "state order to launch a smear campaign for holding the World Cup in Russia," per Mark Dobson at The Guardian.

There are also fears that hooliganism may blight the tournament after English and Russian supporters were involved in violent scenes during the UEFA 2016 European Championship in France.

However, there may be far fewer England supporters in Russia, as shown by football writer Tariq Panja:

Per Michael Holden at Reuters, British and Russian police have been "cooperating to avoid a repeat this summer" and have discussed potential strategies and tactics that can be used.

FIFA have also said that VAR will be used at this summer's tournament, per FourFourTwo:

The system has come under scrutiny this season, with delays in decision-making in particular causing frustration.

Football writer Rupert Fryer said that VAR has been rushed and is not yet ready:

This is the first time that Russia has ever hosted a World Cup, and all eyes will be on the country to ensure they get things right but on and off the pitch.