Move World Cup 2018 from Russia

Support our legal challenge to move World Cup 2018 out of Russia

What’s the problem?

When Sepp Blatter awarded the World Cup to Russia, back in December 2010, there were real concerns that Vladimir Putin would use the tournament to whitewash Kremlin conduct. In the next seven years, Putin has broken a series of international laws including potential war crimes in Syria ; occupying Crimea and invading Ukraine; shooting down Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 and illegally discriminating  against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities in Russia, amongst many other issues - including the recent poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia on British soil.

So why are we all just standing by and allowing the world’s beloved football tournament to be hosted by the Kremlin this summer?

Shouldn’t these issues have had an impact on FIFA’s decision?

Let’s do something about it

We have important laws, such as the European Convention on Human Rights, that were crafted to tackle tyranny. We should be using the law to stop the World Cup being used as a Putin PR tool.

We will draft a legal dossier on why World Cup 2018 should have been moved from Russia, according to UEFA and FIFA’s own rules, by instructing top barristers from the internationally-renowned Matrix Chambers.

The arguments will highlight the fact that if anything goes wrong this summer, it was all avoidable and given the scale of illegal Kremlin action, something should have been done.

Once the legal analysis is complete, we will build an online platform so you can send a message directly to UEFA and the FIFA Executive Committee that enough is enough - the World Cup should be about football and not about whitewashing dodgy reputations.

It is then up to them to consider what they should do and what they are morally and legally liable for.

Is a last ditch attempt too late?

Russia can have their hosting rights withdrawn if European politicians, football associations, football clubs and corporate sponsors work together.

Euro 2020 will be a pan-European tournament, and a similar plan for World Cup 2018 can still be implemented.  Democratic European nations have ample resources in stadiums, hospitality, policing and travel routes across Europe which would allow people from all around the world the chance to safely enjoy the World Cup. After all, Europe’s biggest football leagues host hundreds of thousands of fans every weekend, and by sharing the organising between nations, we can lighten the load.

What happens if you don’t win?

If we don’t win this time - we will use our legal arguments and campaign to change FIFA and UEFA’s behaviour for good when they next award football tournaments to governments. 

Why should you care?

The World Cup should be the embodiment of the beautiful game but it is awash with dirty money, high prices that disregard the fans and rewards corruption.  We need to take a collective stand. Nothing has ever changed without people standing up for what’s right.

So let’s put the boot-in to Putin, and tell FIFA and UEFA that we want a Copa Mundial de Fútbol, a Coupe du Monde, a Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft - not a Corrupt Kremlin Cup.

Who we are

World In Motion is the campaign to make the World Cup about football and is coordinated by 89up  and supported by a wide team including Sashy Nathan , Bradley Pritchard, Phillippa Kauffmann QC  and Jessica Jones.

FIFA: show Putin the red card for breaking the law.