All you need to know about the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Apr 19, 2018 at 3:54 PM
In less than two months time, on 14 June – world’s biggest sports event – the 21st FIFA World Cup kicks off at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, as the hosts Russia take on Saudi Arabia.
Of the thirty-two nations qualified to play at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, twenty countries competed at the previous edition of the tournament in 2014. Both Iceland and Panama qualified for the first time, with the former becoming the smallest country in terms of population to reach the World Cup.
Other teams returning after absences of at least three tournaments include: Egypt, returning to the finals after a 28-year absence from their last appearance in 1990; Morocco, who last competed in 1998; Peru, returning after a 36-year absence (since 1982); and Senegal, competing for the second time after reaching the quarter-finals in 2002.
It is the first time three Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland and Sweden) and four Arab nations (Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia) have qualified for the World Cup.
On the other hand, the four time champions Italy is the most notable country that failed to qualify for the World Cup. Their dreams ended after they lost their play-off match against Sweden.
The other notable countries are three-time runner-up Netherlands, 2017 Africa Cup of Nations winners Cameroon, back to back Copa América champion Chile, 2016 OFC Nations Cup winners New Zealand and 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup winners USA.
The draw of the 2018 FIFA World Cup was held on 1 December, 2017. Thirty-two teams were drawn into eight groups of four.
Groups:
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
Schedule:
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off |
Thursday June 14 | Russia v Saudi Arabia (A) | Moscow (Luzhniki) | 4pm GMT |
Friday June 15 | Egypt v Uruguay (A) | Ekaterinburg | 1pm |
Friday June 15 | Morocco v Iran (B) | St Petersburg | 4pm |
Friday June 15 | Portugal v Spain (B) | Sochi | 7pm |
Saturday June 16 | France v Australia (C) | Kazan | 11am |
Saturday June 16 | Argentina v Iceland (D) | Moscow (Spartak) | 2pm |
Saturday June 16 | Peru v Denmark (C) | Saransk | 5pm |
Saturday June 16 | Croatia v Nigeria (D) | Kaliningrad | 8pm |
Sunday June 17 | Costa Rica v Serbia (E) | Samara | 1pm |
Sunday June 17 | Germany v Mexico (F) | Moscow (Luzhniki) | 4pm |
Sunday June 17 | Brazil v Switzerland (E) | Rostov-on-Don | 7pm |
Monday June 18 | Sweden v South Korea (F) | Nizhny Novgorod | 1pm |
Monday June 18 | Belgium v Panama (G) | Sochi | 4pm |
Monday June 18 | Tunisia v England (G) | Volgograd | 7pm |
Tuesday June 19 | Poland v Senegal (H) | Moscow (Spartak) | 1pm |
Tuesday June 19 | Colombia v Japan (H) | Saransk | 4pm |
Tuesday June 19 | Russia v Egypt (A) | St Petersburg | 7pm |
Wednesday June 20 | Portugal v Morocco (B) | Moscow (Luzhniki) | 1pm |
Wednesday June 20 | Uruguay v Saudi Arabia (A) | Rostov-on-Don | 4pm |
Wednesday June 20 | Iran v Spain (B) | Kazan | 7pm |
Thursday June 21 | France v Peru (C) | Ekaterinburg | 1pm |
Thursday June 21 | Denmark v Australia (C) | Samara | 4pm |
Thursday June 21 | Argentina v Croatia (D) | Nizhny Novgorod | 7pm |
Friday June 22 | Brazil v Costa Rica (E) | St Petersburg | 1pm |
Friday June 22 | Nigeria v Iceland (D) | Volgograd | 4pm |
Friday June 22 | Serbia v Switzerland (E) | Kaliningrad | 7pm |
Saturday June 23 | Belgium v Tunisia (G) | Moscow (Spartak) | 1pm |
Saturday June 23 | Germany v Sweden (F) | Sochi | 4pm |
Saturday June 23 | South Korea v Mexico (F) | Rostov-on-Don | 7pm |
Sunday June 24 | England v Panama (G) | Nizhny Novgorod | 1pm |
Sunday June 24 | Japan v Senegal (H) | Ekaterinburg | 4pm |
Sunday June 24 | Poland v Colombia (H) | Kazan | 7pm |
Monday June 25 | Uruguay v Russia (A) | Samara | 3pm |
Monday June 25 | Saudi Arabia v Egypt (A) | Volgograd | 3pm |
Monday June 25 | Spain v Morocco (B) | Kaliningrad | 7pm |
Monday June 25 | Iran v Portugal (B) | Saransk | 7pm |
Tuesday June 26 | Denmark v France (C) | Moscow (Luzhniki) | 3pm |
Tuesday June 26 | Australia v Peru (C) | Sochi | 3pm |
Tuesday June 26 | Nigeria v Argentina (D) | St Petersburg | 7pm |
Tuesday June 26 | Iceland v Croatia (D) | Rostov-on-Don | 7pm |
Wednesday June 27 | South Korea v Germany (F) | Kazan | 3pm |
Wednesday June 27 | Mexico v Sweden (F) | Ekaterinburg | 3pm |
Wednesday June 27 | Serbia v Brazil (E) | Moscow (Spartak) | 7pm |
Wednesday June 27 | Switzerland v Costa Rica (E) | Nizhny Novgorod | 7pm |
Thursday June 28 | Japan v Poland (H) | Volgograd | 3pm |
Thursday June 28 | Senegal v Colombia (H) | Samara | 3pm |
Thursday June 28 | England v Belgium (G) | Kaliningrad | 7pm |
Thursday June 28 | Panama v Tunisia (G) | Saransk | 7pm |
LAST 16 | |||
Saturday June 30 | 1C v 2D (Match 50) | Kazan | 3pm |
Saturday June 30 | 1A v 2B (Match 49) | Sochi | 7pm |
Sunday July 1 | 1B v 2A (Match 51) | Moscow | 3pm |
Sunday July 1 | 1D v 2C (Match 52) | Nizhny Novgorod | 7pm |
Monday July 2 | 1E v 2F (Match 53) | Samara | 3pm |
Monday July 2 | 1G v 2H (Match 54) | Rostov-on-Don | 7pm |
Tuesday July 3 | 1F v 2E (Match 55) | St Petersburg | 3pm |
Tuesday July 3 | 1H v 2G (Match 56) | Moscow (Spartak) | 7pm |
QUARTER-FINALS | |||
Friday July 6 | Winner 49 v winner 50 (57) | Nizhny Novgorod | 3pm |
Friday July 6 | Winner 53 v winner 54 (58) | Kazan | 7pm |
Saturday July 7 | Winner 55 v winner 56 (60) | Samara | 3pm |
Saturday July 7 | Winner 51 v winner 52 (59) | Sochi | 7pm |
SEMI-FINALS | |||
Tuesday July 10 | Winner 57 v winner 58 | St Petersburg | 7pm |
Wednesday July 11 | Winner 59 v winner 60 | Moscow (Luzhniki) | 7pm |
THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF | |||
Saturday July 14 | Losers of two semi-finals | St Petersburg | 3pm |
FINAL | |||
Sunday July 15 | Winners of two-semi-finals | Moscow (Luzhniki) | 4pm |