The Quiet Foundations of Resilience

When it comes to a sports governing body that is not only the most well-known, but also the busiest and most frequently attacked by groups outside the world of sport, that body is FIFA. It’s no surprise. Who wouldn’t be tempted by the massive flow of money in global football, from membership fees and training costs to friendly match fees and beyond?

Yet high ticket prices, overflowing stadiums, and sponsorship deals worth millions of dollars do not automatically translate into huge profits for FIFA.

Since the 2010s, there has been only one World Cup in which FIFA truly recorded extraordinary profits: the 2018 tournament, when Russia won the hosting bid. Thanks to the 2018 World Cup, FIFA secured net revenues of $5.357 billion, accounting for around 83 percent of its total revenue for the 2015–2018 period. For Russia, the tournament contributed an estimated $15 billion to GDP between 2013 and 2018, or roughly 1 percent of annual GDP.

The 2018 World Cup also broke records for global viewership outside the stadium. Around 1.12 billion people worldwide, nearly half of the world’s population at the time, watched the final between France and Croatia live. This alone generated approximately $3 billion in broadcasting rights revenue.

The business model offered by FIFA suited Russia well, where national-scale expenditures are centrally managed. The Russian government covered the full cost of preparing the 2018 World Cup, from renovating existing stadiums and building new ones to upgrading transport systems and providing accommodation for the entire World Cup workforce, including players and coaches.

Chinese sponsors stepped in to fill the gap left by European sponsors that withdrew due to FIFA’s corruption scandal and political tensions involving Russia. However, they arrived almost at the last minute, just days before the opening kickoff.

Of the total $11.2 billion cost of the 2018 World Cup, around 57 percent was funded by the federal government. Another 14 percent came from regional government budgets, while 29 percent consisted of private investments from wealthy Russian businessmen.

One of them was Leonid Fedun, owner of the oil company Lukoil, who financed the construction of one of the tournament venues, Spartak Arena in Moscow. Roman Abramovich, former owner of Chelsea, invested in stadium seating and player training facilities. The late Wagner Group owner Yevgeny Prigozhin handled catering for FIFA officials, invited guests, and security personnel across the 11 host cities. He was also rumored to have overseen several online “buzzer” companies tasked with shaping a positive image of Russia.

In official communications, Russia implemented a single-gate policy: only designated officials were allowed to comment on World Cup preparations. This approach stemmed from Russia’s recent controversies, which had led international media to focus less on football and more on issues outside the pitch, such as Crimea, the Skripal poisoning, Syria, and the 2016 US election meddling. 

This defensive posture toward the media created long-term consequences, including what many viewed as a form of media retaliation. Even today, Russia’s success as host of the 2018 World Cup is rarely highlighted. This is further overshadowed by Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine, now entering its fourth year at the time of writing. 

Illustration: Sumber Nyolo, Karangploso.

Resilience Begins with Gratitude

In 2026, I mark my eighth year working with Russians, a journey that began in mid-2017. Throughout that time, I have been working from my desk at home in a small town in East Java. I have met them in person only once, or about a month after the 2018 World Cup concluded. 

Year after year, we have experienced highs and lows, as in any relationship. It would be dishonest to deny that the lowest point has come in the past one or two years, as a ripple effect of the military conflict in Ukraine.

People often say that a person’s true character emerges in difficult times. I have found this to be true. My Russian colleagues are going through a phase that forces them to repeatedly adapt in order to survive the shocks created by the military operation. It has not been easy. They have had to let go of the comfort they enjoyed for years, partly the result of the success of the 2018 World Cup.

Russians live in one of the coldest regions on earth, where winter temperatures can drop to minus 70 degrees Celsius. Such conditions help shape a character that may appear cold and direct, without small talk, often masking warmth and sincerity that are sometimes misunderstood or exploited by critics and long-standing adversaries.

This character has been passed down through generations, rooted in ancestral traditions associated with Slavic spiritual beliefs known as Rodnovery. 

Rodnovery is a modern revival of pre-Christian Slavic spirituality. It does not have a single holy book or centralized authority. However, many Rodnover communities emphasize living in harmony with nature, honoring ancestors, and maintaining balance within the community. This worldview is closely tied to the idea of sufficiency.

In Rodnovery, sufficiency is not about strict asceticism, but about balance. Nature is seen as sacred and alive, not merely a resource for human exploitation. Seasonal festivals, agricultural symbolism, and reverence for natural spirits reinforce the idea that humans should take only what is necessary and avoid waste. Excessive consumption is often viewed as a disruption of the natural order. Scholars frequently describe this orientation as part of Rodnovery’s “eco-ethics,” a framework emphasizing responsibility toward the world and its environment.

Community values also shape the concept of sufficiency. Traditional Slavic principles such as kinship, mutual aid, and collective strength are central. Personal wealth is not forbidden, but hoarding or exploiting others for personal gain contradicts ideals of honor and social harmony. In this context, sufficiency supports resilience: everyone contributes, and resources are used collectively.

On a personal level, Rodnovery encourages spiritual self-reliance. Rather than seeking salvation from external authority, adherents cultivate inner strength, discipline, and alignment with the cosmic order, sometimes referred to as Prav. A good life means building character, fulfilling responsibilities, and respecting the laws of nature and the ancestors.

Awaiting a New Russia After the War

Although Russia is widely known as the main aggressor in Ukraine, the consequences within Russia itself have also been deeply disruptive across many aspects of life, including football.

Russia’s absence from international football tournaments will inevitably affect the quality of its national teams, from senior men’s and women’s squads to youth and children’s levels. Political interference in sport damages not only sportsmanship and ethics, but also pride and performance. This is happening in an era when human rights are said to be defended seriously in the name of justice.

Experience becomes a kind of bonus in life’s journey. It shapes new perspectives and directions that give deeper meaning to living. Eight years of working with Russians have corrected years of drifting without direction in my own life. The choices I make today are, in many ways, shaped by those eight years. And for that, I am happy. 

Ancestral values of humility before nature and strength of character play a role in the direction a nation takes, as long as they are not dismissed or pushed aside as outdated.

Perhaps these are the values Russia will remember when its “business” in Ukraine finally comes to an end. (dswas).