The Russian National Tourist Office reiterated on social media on Thursday morning that the embassy was now making an exception to their usual process and issuing visas within one working day.

Gareth Southgate's buoyant team face Sweden on Saturday, knowing a win will put them into the semi-final for the first time in 28 years, where they will either face Croatia or hosts Russia.

England will have learned plenty from their penalty shootout win over Colombia and are aware of the barrier Sweden represent. Sportsmail looks at how the quarter-final might be won and lost

The hours are ticking down to England's World Cup quarter-final against Sweden and the fans are in Samara soaking up the atmosphere ahead of their biggest game in a generation.

In the Samara Arena, situated on the banks of the River Volga in a far-flung corner of the sprawling Russian Motherland, an England team made history.

SAMI MOKBEL AT THE SAMARA ARENA: Goals by Harry Maguire and Dele Alli capped off a relatively comfortable afternoon for England and they now await either Croatia or host Russia in the last four.

England have booked their place in the semi-finals at the World Cup and it was all down to hard work on and off the pitch throughout the tournament, says BBC pundit Alan Shearer. 

The 33-year-old former Wigan Athletic centre-back has been key to Sweden 's impressive defensive record and captained his country at the World Cup forming a partnership with United's Victor Lindelof.

Spain and Italy launched their Euro 2020 qualifying campaigns with relatively routine victories. Scroll through Sportsmail's live feed of the action to see how it all unfolded.

Sergio Ramos equalled Iker Casillas' record of 167 caps for Spain as they thrashed the Faroe Islands 4-0 in a Euro 2020 qualifier on Sunday night.

Sergio Reguilon, Pau Torres and Gerard Moreno were handed call-ups on Friday after being named in coach Robert Moreno's squad for Euro 2020 qualifiers against Norway and Sweden.

PETE JENSON IN OSLO: Bournemouth's Joshua King won a point for Norway against Spain scoring a penalty against Kepa Arrizabalga after the Chelsea keeper had given away the spot-kick.

Pep Guardiola has maintained he cannot be held responsible if £49million defender John Stones misses out on Euro 2020 due to a lack of game time at Manchester City.

Jo Konta took exception to being asked if she would 'offer her services' to Andy Murray in the Wimbledon mixed doubles, saying it made her sound 'like a hooker'. The British No 1 reacted with shock.

MIKE DICKSON ON CENTRE COURT: It started with the Centre Court crowd tittering at the velvety baritone of umpire Nouni, and ended with them roaring Konta into the quarter finals.

British Number One Johanna Konta has beaten Czech player Petra Kvitova to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

MATTHEW LAMBERT AT WIMBLEDON: The British No 1 led 4-1 in the first set but her Czech opponent reeled her back in and Konta was left looking one-dimensional by the end.

Jo Konta left Wimbledon on Tuesday night bitterly disappointed, a Grand Slam semi-final appearance spurned. She also walked away with £294,000. Rewards come with scrutiny.

MIKE DICKSON IN NEW YORK: Hardly anyone walks tightrope of deciding sets as well as Jo Konta this year, and she successfully did so once again to make the last eight of the US Open.

MIKE DICKSON IN NEW YORK: Words with negative connotations are out when it comes to the work she does with Dimitri Zavialoff. The hairdryer is strictly confined to the hotel room.

MIKE DICKSON IN NEW YORK: This time there were no recriminations or spats with the media, just the numbing disappointment of another missed opportunity.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford delivered the extraordinary tirade at PMQs, hammering Mr Johnson for describing muslim women in veils as 'letterboxes'.

The State Opening of Parliament saw Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn engage in one of the newer political traditions today - the awkward silent walk to the Lords.

Steven Bonnar, the newly elected MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, crossed his index finger and his middle finger as he made a 'solemn affirmation' to the monarch.

Wales manager Ryan Giggs faces a dressing-room rebellion as his side struggles to qualify for Euro 2020. Defeats by Croatia and Hungary have left Wales fourth of five teams in Group E.

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN TRNAVA: Former lifeguard Kieffer Moore kept Wales' Euro 2020 qualification hopes afloat with a goal on his competitive debut to earn Ryan Giggs' team a vital point.

Joe Allen believes Wales now have a better squad than the group that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016. Wales have qualified for their second consecutive European Championships.

Ray Quinn, who shot to fame on reality shows The X Factor and Dancing On Ice, proposed to his girlfriend Emily Fletcher over New Year's.

Jake Quickenden has revealed he is keeping himself occupied by watching lots of porn. The X Factor star said he was relishing the moments his girlfriend Sophie Church went downstairs.

The singer, 26, sizzled in the music video for her latest single called Lost which was released on Friday.

British dressmaker Angela Kelly, who has worked with the Queen for 25 years, revealed the monarch is just like the rest of us when it comes to getting her money's worth.

An Australian couple have called for airlines to manage food allergies better after they were escorted off a Qantas plane over a chicken dinner. 

The Holiday Guru is always on call to answer your questions. This week's topics also include visiting Carcassonne in France and tips on sharing a cabin with a snorer on a cruise.

Sir James Dyson announced the move to Singapore in January, prompting claims of 'staggering hypocrisy' against the billionaire who backed Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

Footage of the allegedly distressed animal captured at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) S.E.A. Aquarium in Sentosa Island emerged on social media. An animal charity said posted the clip on Facebook.

Shoppers on the streets of central Singapore did a double take when millionaire socialite Jamie Chua, 45, and her lookalike daughter Calista, 21, walked past in matching mini-dresses.

The girl and her parents were unaware she had the highly contagious virus when they arrived in Australia on Qantas flight 52 early on January 17.

A Chinese man diagnosed in Queensland with coronavirus also spent time in Melbourne, and four fellow travellers are now ill and being tested for the disease.

Martial arts champion and ONE Championship founder Chatri Sityodtong offered to fly Quaden and his family on an all-expenses paid trip to Singapore.

A nine-year-old boy who was bullied for his dwarfism has been invited on a whirlwind trip to the US after his story made international headlines. 

After the Disneyland trip for Quaden is paid for, the rest of the funds will be donated to charity.

The student, aged in his 20s, arrived in Hobart on February 26 after travelling from Nepal and Singapore and suffered cold-like symptoms in the days following.

Arrivals streaming off flights from Dallas, Santiago and Singapore in the wake of the draconian measures descended on the domestic terminal, as usual, to catch connecting flights around the country.

All international arrivals at Australian airports have been handed sheets of paper with quarantine regulations directing them to self-isolate for a fortnight to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Virgin Australia suspended customers ability to transfer of points from its Velocity scheme to partner Singapore Airline's KrisFlyer scheme under the changes made last week.

Singapore's unofficial 'Instagram Queen' showed fans the $235 rose oil she uses on her skin and her most prized possession, a diamond encrusted crocodile skin handbag worth $330,883.

Ireland insist hooker Sean Cronin has lost no World Cup ground despite being dropped from the squad for Sunday's Guinness Six Nations clash with France in Dublin.

World Rugby bosses have hit back at claims 31-man World Cup squads threaten player welfare by insisting top coaches left their objections too late to have any effect for the 2019 tournament in Japan.

RORY KEANE IN FUKUOKA: Fourteen-man Ireland sealed their place in the World Cup quarter finals with a seven-try victory over Samoa here in Fukuoka, but Bundee Aki's red card will be a worry.

Johnny Sexton has questioned the 'strange' negativity around Ireland's World Cup campaign, insisting Joe Schmidt's men are ready to peak for the All Blacks.