Quiz: it's all about that (World Cup training) base

Argentina’s base camp, just outside Moscow. Photograph: Sergei Bobylev/TASS

1. Uruguay's home town for the tournament is one for fans of nominative determinism. Where are they based?

   1. Snuz

   2. Yawn

   3. Bor

   4. Sleypy

2. Senegal are staying in the Royal hotel in Kaluga, a building that has which unusual feature?

   1. A downhill ski run starts on its roof

   2. A bobsleigh track runs through the foyer

   3. The pool can be converted into an ice rink

   4. The hotel is in the shape of a curling stone

3. Australia are using the training facilities of AK Bars in Kazan? Which sport do they play?

   1. Football

   2. Ice hockey

   3. Water polo

   4. Aussie Rules

4. 

   Belgium are staying at the lavish Moscow Country Club – the home of which sporting event since 1993?

   1. Russian Open golf championship

   2. Russian Open tennis championship

   3. Russian Open figure skating championships

   4. Russian Open chess championship

5. Colombia are staying in Kazan and training at the Sviyaga shooting range, which hosted the 2010 trapshooting European Championships. They’ll also:

   1. Travel further than anyone else in the group stages

   2. Travel at least 500 miles north for every match

   3. Travel at least 500 miles south for every match

   4. Travel less than anyone else in the group stages

6. Denmark are in Anapa on the Black Sea coast, a popular holiday destination. Which is nice, but it also means their shortest round trip for a group game is how far?

   1. Around 1,450 miles

   2. Around 1,000 miles

   3. Around 800 miles

   4. Around 600 miles

7. 

   Saudi Arabia are stopping in the plush Belmond Grand Hotel Europe in St Petersburg, which has a bevy of suites named in honour of various famous figures, including one with a World Cup connection. It’s called:

   1. The Domingo suite

   2. The Carreras suite

   3. The Pavarotti suite

   4. The Baddiel & Skinner suite

8. Several teams will prepare for games at the training grounds of Russian clubs, but who has bagged CSKA Moscow’s facilities?

   1. Germany

   2. Argentina

   3. Brazil

   4. Spain

9. Portugal’s team base, the FC Saturn Training Centre, has a 25m swimming pool, two Finnish saunas and a Turkish hammam but, according to the Fifa website, does not accept what?

   1. Vegetarians

   2. Unmarried couples

   3. IOUs

   4. Credit cards

10. While most teams have based themselves in plush woodland, historic city hotels or at state-of-the-art training bases, Peru have done what?

    1. Rented an entire village in which to stay

    2. Based themselves right next Sheremetyevo International Airport

    3. Based themselves in the hotel of Moscow’s equivalent to Alton Towers

    4. Booked a series of Airbnbs in an attempt to save money

Solutions

1:C - Bor actually means “pine wood” in Russian., 2:A - Complete with cable cars to the top., 3:B - AK Bars, the Snow Leopards, won their league title this season., 4:A - Won in 2014 by Colin Montgomerie., 5:D - La Tricolor travel less than 750 miles in total in the group stage., 6:A - Although several teams have to make round trips of over 2,000 miles for a single game., 7:C - Also available: the Dostoevky Suite, the Faberge suite and the Rossi suite (named after Italian architect Carlo rather than Italian striker Paolo), 8:A - Russia share Dinamo Moscow’s training facilities with Mexico, Saudi Arabia have Zenit St Petersburg’s while Japan’s HQ is usually the home of Rubin Kazan. , 9:D - Though, in fairness, it does seem to be more of a sports complex than a hotel., 10:B - Which may be a less interesting than most but will at least be handy for getting around.

Scores

1. 10 and above.

   Winner, winner, chicken dinner

2. 9 and above.

   So close!

3. 8 and above.

   Champions League level

4. 7 and above.

   Europa League level

5. 6 and above.

   Just outside the European places

6. 5 and above.

   Mid-table safety

7. 4 and above.

   Below average

8. 3 and above.

   Improvement required

9. 2 and above.

   Pretty poor

10. 0 and above.

    Useless

11. 1 and above.

    Not great