It is light by the time they stumble out of the bar, arms clasped around one another for support, taking greedy drags on long-awaited cigarettes.
In Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities hosting the World Cup, the party is just about to start: thousands of fans streaming onto the streets, waving flags and blaring car horns, to celebrate Russia’s 3-1 victory on Tuesday night over Egypt. The win will help put the country into the tournament’s knockout round for the first time since the Soviet years.
Here in Ulan-Ude, 3,500 miles and five time zones from Moscow, the night is already over. The roads, normally choked with traffic, are empty. The city is quiet. The hundred or so hardy souls who stayed up until 4 a.m. to watch the game in the Pelikan sports bar say their goodbyes, exchange heartfelt hugs and head off: to work, to home, to sleep it off.
When Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, addressed the crowd at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow before the opening game of the World Cup, he promised that in the coming month, soccer would “conquer” Russia. He invited the host to “enjoy the biggest celebration on Earth.”