WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A. — As the Brazil 2014 World Cup draws to a close, some have already begun to challenge Russia’s right to host the World Cup in 2018. Spearheaded by Ukraine and its allies, the campaign criticizes Russia as an unfit host nation because of its annexation of Crimea earlier this year and related acts of violence against Ukraine.

In May, Ukraine’s ambassador to the European Union called upon FIFA to revoke Russia’s right to host the 2018 World Cup. United for Ukraine, an international human rights organization, has launched an international campaign for consumers to boycott sponsors of the World Cup including Visa, Sony and Kia Motors. Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine and the violence that followed in areas under Russian control has resulted in 356 deaths since mid-April 2014 and has left 34,000 Ukrainians displaced.

Alexey Sorokin, head of the organizing committee of the Russia 2018 World Cup, was unfazed when asked about the issue this month during his visit to Rio.

“Tourists will come to Russia to see the matches of the World Cup," said Sorokin. "They will not come to discuss political developments, which by then will be all in the past."

NYU Abu Dhabi alumnus Oleg Shenderyuk, who grew up in Russia, shared a similar opinion. He said that the situation involving Ukraine and Crimea will hardly have any impact within Russia. Shenderyuk also compared the criticisms of Russia with other controversies surrounding past host nations of the World Cup.

“ [The] World Cup was already held in Argentina in 1978 when thousands of people were disappearing during the day during the dictatorship, and things went just fine. Russia is not anywhere near this,” said Shenderyuk. “In addition, the poverty in Russia is far less severe than it is in Brazil, and people feel less alienated that the [Russian] government allocated the resources to World Cup instead.”

Outside of Ukraine, political pressure against the Russia 2018 World Cup is simmering, but undetermined. UK Labour Shadow Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham said in March that FIFA should revisit their appointment of Russia as the host of the World Cup in 2018. United States Senators Dan Coats and Mark Kirk asked FIFA to convene an emergency session and to reconsider Russian Football Union's (FUR) membership in the World Cup. FIFA denied the request, replying that it can only revoke a federation’s membership if it violates a FIFA statute. Meanwhile, the EU is hesitant to apply further economic sanctions against Russia in fear that the sanctions would hurt other EU economies and provoke Russian retaliation.

NYUAD junior Iryna Nadyukova, who grew up in Ukraine, said that even though international bodies such as the EU and the UN claim to be deeply concerned about the conflict, in reality there is little being done to influence Russia.

“I believe that taking away Russia’s right to host [the] 2018 World Cup could be an important symbolic step that would demonstrate that other countries are willing to express their concern for Russia’s unlawful position in the conflict in the Eastern Ukraine through real actions, not just words,” said Nadyukova.

Nadyukova also said that revoking Russia’s right to host the World Cup would challenge the general view in Russia that the country is helping Ukraine with its intervention, a view that she said is propagated by the government-controlled media.

These challenges to Russia are reminiscent of the 1980 Olympic Games, which the U.S. boycotted in reaction to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. A total of 65 invited countries did not participate in the Games that year, while seven others participated but did not attend the Opening Ceremony.

Ever since Russia's intervention in Ukraine, general disapproval of Putin's government has increased in many countries across Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. According to a New York Times report this month quoting Pew Global Attitudes polls, a majority of respondents in all European countries surveyed said that they do not believe Vladimir Putin will “do the right thing” with respect to his foreign policy. Eighty percent of U.S. citizens agreed. In contrast, the majority of respondents in Vietnam and China had a positive opinion of Putin’s Russia. This poll was taken after Putin’s March 18 statement that Russia would annex Crimea.

Hosting the World Cup, the most watched sporting event in the world, is likely to improve Russia’s image on the world stage.

“Like in the case of the Sochi Olympic Games, the World Cup, if hosted in Russia, will be an attempt to show off the country's power to the world and to distract Russians from their poor economic standing,” said NYUAD Junior Anastasiya Oleksiyenko.

Russia indicates full intention to follow through with the Russia 2018 World Cup. Infrastructure projects have already begun in preparation for the tournament, such as an in-road network and the construction of stadiums. The total cost for Russia is estimated at 20.8 billion USD, making it twice as expensive as the the Brazil World Cup. Putin also announced in early July that players and fans will not need a visa to enter Russia during the length of the World Cup. 2018 is also the end of Putin’s presidency, with elections planned to take place a month before the first match.