In a few weeks’ time, what has come to be dubbed the ‘World Cup of shame’ will kick off its first match in Moscow. What are we to expect from the Russian hosts when all of the world’s eyes are watching?

Despite assurances from local officials that the tournament will pass off peacefully – including a specific promise over the safety of English fans – observers could be forgiven for approaching with nervous caution.

No one has forgotten what happened during the 2016 European Championships in France, where violent clashes between Russian fans and other supporters marred the spectacle on the pitch.

Those involved in the skirmishes described trained Russian hooligans who arrived with gumshields and truncheons.

Far from condemning the violence, senior Russian officials seemed to applaud it. Indeed, Igor Lebedev, an MP, deputy chairman of the Russian parliament and representative of the Russian Football Association, said his countrymen had “defended the honour of their country” and tweeted: “well done lads, keep it up!”

We should also bear in mind the more regular transgressions associated with Russian football, particularly the racism that is so deeply embedded in some sections of the fan base.

Russia has been fined for racist behaviour by its fans at the last two European Championships, and its latest reprimand came just last month, after monkey chants were aimed at black French players during a game in St Petersburg – the stadium that will host this year’s final.

With tension reaching fever pitch after the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, and the tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats from both countries afterwards, English fans have been warned to stay at home. It’s also been suggested that UK dignitaries won’t be attending in their usual numbers (the Duke of Cambridge, who serves as President of the English FA, has already said he won’t be going).

The problem is that these actions are piecemeal.

For footballing and, more importantly, political reasons, Russia should never have won the bid to host this year’s World Cup. Once the decision was taken, football associations around the world should have started thinking about collective action.

If you want to let your feelings known to a goliath like FIFA, a few sets of fans and a couple of suits boycotting the tournament isn’t going to do it.

Tell them that European football’s biggest hitters aren’t taking part unless the host country is changed, and it’s a very different equation.

England, Spain, Germany, Italy or France couldn’t have made a difference on their own, but collectively they could have forced FIFA’s hand. No question.

As it stands we’ll never know what could have been. All we can do is hope for an entertaining tournament and pray that Russia’s finest don’t take to the streets of Moscow or St Petersburg looking to ‘defend their country’s honour’ again.