Whatever one's perspective, it seems certain that away from the on-field spectacle, this super-sized World Cup could be among the most contentious ever.
The Indian crew of a sanctioned oil tanker urged authorities to "send help" after the ship was hit by a US missile off Oman on Monday, saying it was on fire and sinking.
Omar Artan, who was set to be the first Somali to referee at the World Cup finals, is dropped from the list of officials after he was denied entry to the United States.