Also, they insist, it would be easier to sell television rights

Also, they insist, it would be easier to sell television rights, attract big sponsors and buy good players abroad if the national tournament could be synchronised with other major European championships.

But Mr Navosha says that the player-transfer argument does not really stand up, as Russian transfer windows – the periods when a club could buy or sell players – have already been synchronised with the rest of Europe anyway.

“Last summer, seven players were bought by Russian clubs for 7m to 22m euros each,” he says.

While the battles over the new format of the Russian national championship are being fought, most experts agree that the country will benefit from organising the 2018 World Cup.

“It will be an additional stimulus for upgrading Russia’s football infrastructure,” says Mr Belous.

Mr Navosha also points out that the 10bn-rouble figure, announced by Mr Fursenko, was calculated before Russia won the right to host the World Cup.

“No doubt, changes will need to be made to the new programme of developing football in Russia,” he said.