FIFA World Cup 2018, world’s biggest sports extravaganza, will kick off in Russia on June 14, Thursday. The month-long tournament to decide the best football team in the world will end on July 15 when the final is played. In the first match of FIFA World Cup 2018, hosts Russia face Saudi Arabia in Group at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.
A total of 32 teams are taking part in the Football World Cup which will be played across 12 venues and involves 64 matches. The teams have been divided into eight groups. The teams coming first and second in each group will qualify for the knockout stage. The knockout stages include the Round of 16 (pre-quarterfinals), quarterfinals, semifinals and the final on July 15 in Luzhniki Stadium which is the largest FIFA World Cup 2018 venue with 81,000 seats. Germany are the defending champions and they have been clubbed in Group F with Mexico, Sweden and South Korea. The runners-up of FIFA World Cup 2014, which was held in Brazil, Argentina are in Group D with Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria.
Below are the groups, full schedule and match timings in Indian Standard Time (IST). The groups are as follows:
Group A: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay
Group B: Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Iran
Group C: France, Australia, Peru, Denmark
Group D: Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria
Group E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia
Group F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea
Group G: Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England
Group H: Poland, Senegal, Colombia, Japan
Full schedule, venues and timings in IST:
Thursday, 14 June
Russia vs Saudi Arabia (Group A)
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Time: 8:30 pm
Friday, 15 June
Egypt vs Uruguay (Group A)
Venue: Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg
Time: 5:30 pm
Morocco vs Iran (Group B)
Venue: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Venue: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg
Time: 8:30 pm
Portugal vs Spain (Group B) –
Venue: Fisht Stadium, Sochi
Time: 11:30 pm
Saturday, 16 June
France vs Australia (Group C)
Venue: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Time: 3:30 pm
Argentina vs Iceland (Group D)
Venue: Spartak Stadium, Moscow
Time: 6:30 pm
Peru vs Denmark (Group C)
Venue: Mordovia Arena, Saransk
Time: 9.30 pm
Sunday, 17 June
Croatia vs Nigeria (Group D)
Venue: Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad
Time: 12:30 am
Costa Rica vs Serbia (Group E)
Venue: Samara Arena, Samara
Time: 5:30 pm
Germany vs Mexico (Group F)
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Time: 8:30 pm
Brazil vs Switzerland (Group E)
Venue: Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don
Time: 11.30 pm
Monday, 18 June
Sweden vs South Korea (Group F)
Venue: Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
Time: 5:30 pm
Belgium vs Panama (Group G)
Venue: Fisht Stadium, Sochi
Time: 8:30 pm
Tunisia vs England (Group G)
Venue: Volgograd Stadium, Volgograd
Time: 11:30 pm
Tuesday, 19 June
Colombia vs Japan (Group H)
Venue: Mordovia Arena, Saransk
Time: 5:30 pm
Poland vs Senegal (Group H)
Venue: Spartak Stadium, Moscow
Time: 8:30 pm
Russia vs Egypt (Group A)
Venue: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg
Time: 11:30 pm
Wednesday, 20 June
Portugal vs Morocco (Group B)
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Time: 5:30 pm
Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia (Group A)
Venue: Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don
Time: 8:30 pm
Iran vs Spain (Group B)
Venue: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Time: 11:30 pm
Thursday, 21 June
Denmark vs Australia (Group C)
Venue: Samara Arena, Samara
Time: 5:30 pm
France vs Peru (Group C)
Venue: Ekaterinburg Arnea, Ekaterinburg
Time: 8:30 pm
Argentina vs Croatia (Group D)
Venue: Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
Time: 11:30 pm
Friday, 22 June
Brazil vs Costa Rica (Group E)
Venue: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg
Time: 5:30 pm
Nigeria vs Iceland (Group D)
Venue: Volgograd Stadium, Volgograd
Time: 8:30 pm
Serbia vs Switzerland (Group E)
Venue: Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad
Time: 11:30 pm
Saturday, 23 June
Belgium vs Tunisia (Group G)
Venue: Spartak Stadium, Moscow
Time: 5:30 pm
South Korea vs Mexico (Group F)
Venue: Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don
Time: 8:30 pm
Germany v Sweden (Group F)
Venue: Fisht Stadium, Sochi
Time: 11:30 pm
Sunday, 24 June
England vs Panama (Group G)
Venue: Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
Time: 5:30 pm
Japan vs Senegal (Group H)
Venue: Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg
Time: 8:30 pm
Poland vs Colombia (Group H)
Venue: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Time: 11:30 pm
Monday, 25 June
Uruguay vs Russia (Group A)
Venue: Samara Arena, Samara
Time: 7:30 pm
Saudi Arabia vs Egypt (Group A)
Venue: Volgograd Stadium, Volgograd
Time: 7:30 pm
Spain vs Morocco (Group B)
Venue: Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad
Time: 11:30 pm
Iran vs Portugal (Group B)
Venue: Mordovia Arena, Saransk
Time: 11:30 pm
Tuesday, 26 June
Denmark vs France (Group C)
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Time: 7:30 pm
Australia vs Peru (Group C)
Venue: Fisht Stadium, Sochi
Time: 7:30 pm
Nigeria vs Argentina (Group D)
Venue: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg
Time: 11:30 pm
Iceland vs Croatia (Group D)
Venue: Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don
Time: 11:30 pm
Wednesday, 27 June
South Korea vs Germany (Group F)
Venue: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Time: 7:30 pm
Mexico vs Sweden (Group F)
Venue: Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg
Time: 7:30 pm
Serbia vs Brazil (Group E)
Venue: Spartak Stadium, Moscow
Time: 11:30 pm
Switzerland vs Costa Rica (Group E)
Venue: Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
Time: 11:30 pm
Thursday 28 June
Japan vs Poland (Group H)
Venue: Volgograd Stadium, Volgograd
Time: 7:30 pm
Senegal vs Colombia (Group H)
Venue: Samara Arena, Samara
Time: 7:30 pm
England vs Belgium (Group G)
Venue: Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad
Time: 11:30 pm
Panama vs Tunisia (Group G)
Venue: Mordovia Arena, Saransk
Time: 11:30 pm
Round of 16 (pre-quarterfinals)
Saturday, 30 June
Group C winner vs Group D runner-up
Venue: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Time: 7:30 pm
Group A winner vs Group B runner-up
Venue: Fisht Stadium, Sochi
Time: 11.30 pm
Sunday, 1 July
Group B winner vs Group A runner-up
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Time: 7:30 pm
Group D winner vs Group C runner-up
Venue: Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
Time: 11:30 pm
Monday, 2 July
Group E winner vs Group F runner-up
Venue: Samara Arena, Samara
Time: 7:30 pm
Group G winner vs Group H runner-up
Venue: Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don
Time: 11.30 pm
Tuesday, 3 July
Group F winner vs Group E runner-up
Venue: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg
Time: 7:30 pm
Group H winner vs Group G runner-up
Venue: Spartak Stadium, Moscow
Time: 11:30 pm
Quarterfinals
Friday, 6 July
Winner match 49 vs Winner match 50
Venue: Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
Time: 7:30 pm
Winner match 53 vs Winner match 54
Venue: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Time: 11:30 pm
Saturday, 7 July
Winner match 55 vs Winner match 56
Venue: Samara Arena, Samara
Time: 7:30 pm
Winner match 51 vs Winner match 52
Venue: Fisht Stadium, Sochi
Time: 11:30 pm
Semifinals
Tuesday, 10 July
Winner match 57 vs Winner match 58
Venue: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg
Time: 11:30 pm
Wednesday, 11 July
Winner match 59 vs Winner match 60
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Time: 11:30 pm
Third place match
Saturday, 14 July
Loser match 61 vs Loser match 62
Venue: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg
Time: 7:30 pm
Final
Sunday, 15 July
Winner match 61 vs Winner match 62
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Time: 8:30 pm
There are 23 players in the final team announced by each nation. While all the 32 nations are eyeing the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy, the main contest is likely to be between defending champion Germany, five-time winner Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal and France.
Source: Zee News