Russia aiming to raise the World Cup bar in 2018

There were concerns as to whether Brazil would be capable of getting everything in place to host this year's World Cup, with stadiums not ready before the deadline set by FIFA, security concerns and well-documented unrest in the South American country.

Those fears were allayed and FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Monday that Brazil had raised the bar, as he awarded them 9.25 out of 10 for the show they put on.

Russia will have a hard act to follow in 2018, but chair of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Alexey Sorokin has no doubt they will live up to expectations.

He said "Do we look like we are fearful? There is no fear from us. 

"We benefited from this experience of being here (in Brazil). We noted good things that happened here.

"It was an incredible atmosphere here, a great operation of transport, and support for the teams.

"We will do our very best to not only match it but to supersede it."