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The Real Story: The World Cup: Holy Grail or Poisoned Chalice?

Factual

The World Cup: Holy Grail or Poisoned Chalice?

08/06/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - The Real Story, The World Cup: Holy Grail or Poisoned Chalice?

Hosting football's premier tournament is a big honour, but is it worth the cost?

Hosting football's premier tournament is a big honour for any country, but is it worth the cost?

All eyes will be on Russia shortly as it hosts the FIFA World Cup, one of the world's great sporting occasions. The country will get a boost as tourists visit Russia's many far flung cities and spend freely in hotels and restaurants. But staging the event is not cheap. Russia will be spending at least $12 billion at a time when its economy is suffering from sanctions. And - once the teams and their fans leave, the clean-up is expensive and the legacy uncertain. This week Ritula Shah and a panel of experts ask what's to gain from hosting the beautiful game's greatest showcase.

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