FIFA and Sepp Blatter put their corruption crisis aside and got back to World Cup business at the 2018 tournament qualifying draw hosted by Vladimir Putin at a Russian state residence Saturday.

    The two presidents joined on stage for speeches to open a draw ceremony that almost two hours later paired Spain and Italy, respectively the 2010 and 2006 champions, in a group, and revived the game’s oldest international rivalry, England vs. Scotland.

    With the focus once more on soccer, the embattled FIFA leadership and much-criticized host nation Russia could display a confident and united front during a slickly staged show.

    It was Blatter’s first major public event since American and Swiss criminal investigations of corruption in world soccer were unsealed two months ago.

    “Thank you President Putin, you make us happy and comfortable,” said Blatter, making his first trip outside his native Switzerland since mid-May. He has avoided FIFA business in countries that have extradition treaties with the United States.

    Putin and Blatter got a standing ovation from Russian and soccer officials and guests when they walked on together in a temporary venue built in the splendid grounds of Konstantin Palace.

    “We are here to launch a soccer marathon,” Putin said through a translator, almost three years ahead of the finals tournament kicking off after around 850 qualifying matches.

    The preliminary rounds will decide 31 qualifying slots for teams to join Russia at the month-long tournament in 11 cities, from western exclave Kaliningrad to Yekaterinburg nearly 2,500 kilometers east.

    FIFA gathered soccer officials from around the world to the coastal parkland setting on the south-west fringe of Putin’s home city. A total of 141 of FIFA’s 209 member federations were involved in the draw, including top-ranked Argentina, joint No. 207-ranked Djibouti and Cook Islands, plus South Sudan on its World Cup debut.

    Saturday’s draw ceremony was conducted by Blatter’s right-hand man, secretary general Jerome Valcke, on his second trip to Russia since May. Valcke has also avoided countries where he risks extradition to the U.S.

    Sport mixed with politics in one part of the draw as the U.S. will travel during regional group play to Trinidad and Tobago, where indicted former FIFA vice president Jack Warner is fighting extradition.

    On the field, Germany will start defending its World Cup title in a six-team pool where the Czech Republic seems the biggest barrier to advancing as group winner.

    A tough European group put the Netherlands with France and Sweden, whose star forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has perhaps his last chance to play again on soccer’s biggest stage.

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal got a favorable draw with Switzerland its highest-ranked rival.

    Opening the draw, FIFA paired four continents whose teams take part in two-leg playoffs in November 2017 that will complete the World Cup lineup. A CONCACAF team will face an Asian team, and Oceania’s best will play a South American team.

    The 2018 World Cup kicks off June 14 and the final is on July 15. Those matches are at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, the main venue of the 1980 Olympics, which is being rebuilt for the world’s most-watched sports event.(SD-Agencies)