Over the next five weeks the greatest show on earth will again show it has the power to enthral, kicking aside Fifa’s tarnished reputation and the murkiness of Vladimir Putin’s regime

Welcome, once again, to the world. Eight years, $19bn and two terms in the glorious 100-year rule of Vladimir Putin in the making, the 2018 World Cup in Russia is upon us. This has been a fittingly Soviet-scale construction project, taking in eight new superstadiums, thousands of miles of new roads and 53,000 civilian volunteers trained in the arts of pointing, waving and – toughest and most Russian of all – smiling at strangers.

As ever the greatest show on earth carries its own irresistible heat before the tournament opener on Thursday night. The World Cup may be compromised by greed and murkiness. Fifa may have become a kind of floating corporate city state, orbiting the globe, planting its great clanking tentacles down among the ripest pastures. But as preparations thrummed up through the gears in Moscow on Wednesday there was a familiar sense of clarity, of that background hum beginning to die away.

Luis Rubiales took a call and listened in shock to what he was told. He asked for more time, was turned down, so he hung up and hurriedly dialled Julen Lopetegui’s number. There was no answer and very soon it was too late.

At 5.45pm Russia time on Tuesday, five minutes after the president of the Spanish Football Federation had been informed, everyone else knew too. Unforgivable, the president thought. Lopetegui, the Spain manager, had gone to see his players, to tell them what Real Madrid had just told Rubiales: that he was joining the club after the World Cup. At the same time, a statement went up on Real’s website.

Australia pushed England hard while their former coach’s sensitivity was exposed by an investment company’s giveaway

According to PJ O’Rourke, it’s best to affect a limp handshake. “A firm, hearty handshake gives a good first impression,” he wrote, “and you’ll never be forgiven if you don’t live up to it.” There were a lot of hearty handshakes at the start of this latest one-day series between England and Australia, a gamut of clasps, claps, pats, pumps and bumps. Before the start of play the Australians shook hands with the umpires and then the Australians shook hands with each other, then the umpires shook hands with the English, then the English shook hands with the Australians. It was, O’Rourke might say, a lot to live up to.

The handshakes were Australia’s idea. “It’s something we want to bring in to start a series, not before every game,” Tim Paine explained, shrewd not to overdo it. This Australia one-day team seem unusually injury prone – they have already lost their four best fast bowlers to various strains and sprains – and it seems wise to minimise the potential for repetitive strain injuries. The last thing they need now is a case of politician’s wrist. Alex Salmond shook so many hands during Scotland’s independence referendum that he had to spend weeks wearing a foam support.

As Tiger Woods continues his resurgence he has been credited with assisting his country’s own golf upswing. The US Open gets under way on Thursday with Americans seeking to maintain a run in which they hold every men’s major and significant transatlantic team trophy.

Such a scenario will always resonate in a Ryder Cup year. The man Europe will place the most faith in when the USA visit France in September, Rory McIlroy, believes the return of Woods has had a positive impact on the country’s golfers. Woods, amid his compelling return from back surgery, tees off at Shinnecock Hills at 6.47pm (BST) seeking to add a 15th major to his CV.

England’s efforts to mount a series comeback against South Africa have been boosted by the return of a fit-again Joe Launchbury. The Wasps lock has recovered from a sore calf and is set to feature in a reshuffled pack for Saturday’s second Test in Bloemfontein.

Launchbury will be a valuable addition for a game England have to win to avoid going 2-0 down with one to play. The hard-working forward was conspicuous by his absence in Johannesburg, with Saracens’ Nick Isiekwe being hauled off after only 36 minutes of his side’s 42-39 defeat at Ellis Park, but is now available to partner Maro Itoje in the second row.

A list of every FIFA World Cup winner since 1930.

Forward Devante Smith-Pelly has already indicated he doesn’t want to visit the White House, and he says his teammates “have his back.”

The Maryland offensive lineman was hospitalized on May 29 after participating in an organized team workout.

Every individual and team award won in the World Cup.

West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen thinks the NCAA’s transfer rule could result in college football becoming the “wild, wild west.”