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A photographer's Trans-Siberian World Cup journey

Last summer the world's greatest football tournament saw thousands of fans head to Russia to watch 32 nations compete to be world champions. It was an opportunity photojournalist Peter Dench could not resist and so he set out across the country on the Trans-Siberian Railway, travelling more than 5,000 miles in seven days.

Ahead of Peter's work going on show in London, we look back at a few of the pictures taken during his journey.

On the station platform at Belogorsk, Amur Oblast, a golden statue of Lenin gestures towards the Trans-Siberian railway

Peter Dench Statue of Lenin at Belogorsk, Amur Oblast in Russia — On the station platform at Belogorsk, Amur Oblast, a golden statue of Lenin gestures towards the Trans-Siberian railway

Dench's cabin-mate for start of the journey, Toni, a FC Rostov football fan who works in the Russian army

Peter Dench A football fan drinking beer — Dench's cabin-mate for start of the journey, Toni, a FC Rostov football fan who works in the Russian army

A Russian fan at the Moscow Fifa Fan Fest located at Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills) with a venue capacity of 25,000

Peter Dench A young Russian fan — A Russian fan at the Moscow Fifa Fan Fest located at Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills) with a venue capacity of 25,000

A fan outside the Fan Fest looks down the hill, directly towards Luzhniki Stadium and the city of Moscow

Peter Dench A football fan in Moscow — A fan outside the Fan Fest looks down the hill, directly towards Luzhniki Stadium and the city of Moscow

Football fans with makeshift sunshades

Peter Dench Football fans with makeshift sunshades — Football fans with makeshift sunshades

Danish fans drink beer and sing in central Moscow ahead of their match with France

Peter Dench Danish fans drink beer and sing in central Moscow — Danish fans drink beer and sing in central Moscow ahead of their match with France

A woman sells smoked fish to passengers on the platform at Barabinsk, during a short stop

Peter Dench A woman sells smoked fish on the platform at Barabinsk in Russia — A woman sells smoked fish to passengers on the platform at Barabinsk, during a short stop

A young woman sitting in third class

Peter Dench A young woman sitting in third class — A young woman sitting in third class

Two Russian soldiers pose for a picture during another short stop

Peter Dench Two Russian soldiers — Two Russian soldiers pose for a picture during another short stop

A man and a baby try to cope with the heat during their journey

Peter Dench A man and a baby try to cope with the heat during their journey — A man and a baby try to cope with the heat during their journey

A 50-minute stop at Omsk station allows passengers to buy supplies for their journey

Peter Dench Omsk station in Russia — A 50-minute stop at Omsk station allows passengers to buy supplies for their journey

Army recruits play cards in a third-class carriage

Peter Dench Army recruits play cards — Army recruits play cards in a third-class carriage

Time to stretch the legs again and perhaps phone home during another short stop

Peter Dench A football fan on the phone — Time to stretch the legs again and perhaps phone home during another short stop

Passengers asleep in a second-class cabin on the Trans-Siberian Railway

Peter Dench Passengers asleep in a second-class cabin on the Trans-Siberian Railway — Passengers asleep in a second-class cabin on the Trans-Siberian Railway

Trans-Siberian World Cup by Peter Dench can be seen at the After Nyne Gallery in Holland Park, London, from 31 January to 5 February 2019.

All photographs copyright Peter Dench.