The new Stadion Koln will serve the city's football club for decades, but as a World Cup venue it is utterly bereft of charm. Perfunctory might be a suitable adjective, for it seats sufficient supporters and houses them undercover, but beyond that the multi-nation hordes of fans will be hoping the on-field action provides enough entertainment to ensure structural engineering does not dominate chit-chat.

Four tall stands, red flip-down seats, and towers on each corner of the ground are the result of two and a half years of building work. Funded by the council and city of Cologne. Enough said. At least they once knew how to build cathedrals.