Moscow: FIFA World Cup 2018 is scheduled to be held in Russia this year, and will kick off on June 14 with hosts Russia taking on Saudi Arabia in a Group A encounter at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.
The FIFA World Cup 2018 final will be held on July 15 at the same Stadium as the opening match. The defending champions Germany will play their first match against Mexico.
Some of the biggest superstars of the world will be touching down in Russia in their respective bids to etch their names in history forever. The two current best players in the world — Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo — know that this could be their final chance to get their hands on the trophy and will push their teams forward to realise their dreams.
The World Cup will see a total of 32 teams taking part for the second last time, with Qatar in 2022 being the last edition before the 2026 World Cup opens up 16 more slots to make it a 48 team event.
The 32 teams have been divided into four groups, with the biggest misses being Italy and Holland in terms of the traditional powerhouses. Hosts Russia, are in Group A, with top contenders Spain in Group B along with European champions Portugal. Defending champions Germany have been placed in Group F.
SCHEDULE
Date Match Venue TIME (IST)
June 14 Russia Vs Saudi Arabia (A) Moscow (Luzhniki) 08:30 PM
June 15 Egypt Vs Uruguay (A) Ekaterinburg 05:30 PM
Morocco Vs Iran (B) St Petersburg 08:30 PM
Portugal Vs Spain (B) Sochi 11:30 PM
June 16 France Vs Australia (C) Kazan 03:30 PM
Argentina Vs Iceland (D) Moscow (Spartak) 06:30 PM
Peru Vs Denmark (C) Saransk 09:30 PM
Croatia Vs Nigeria (D) Kaliningrad 12:30 AM
June 17 Costa Rica Vs Serbia (E) Samara 05:30 PM
Germany Vs Mexico (F) Moscow (Luzhniki) 08:30 PM
Brazil Vs Switzerland (E) Rostov-on-Don 11:30 PM
June 18 Sweden Vs South Korea (F) Nizhny Novgorod 05:30 PM
Belgium Vs Panama (G) Sochi 08:30 PM
Tunisia Vs England (G) Volgograd 11:30 PM
June 19 Colombia Vs Japan (H) Saransk 05:30PM
Poland Vs Senegal (H) Moscow (Spartak) 08:30 PM
Russia Vs Egypt (A) St Petersburg 11:30 PM
June 20 Portugal Vs Morocco (B) Moscow (Luzhniki) 05:30 PM
Uruguay Vs Saudi Arabia (A) Rostov-on-Don 08:30 PM
Iran Vs Spain (B) Kazan 11:30 PM
June 21 Denmark Vs Australia (C) Samara 05:30 PM
France Vs Peru (C) Ekaterinburg 08:30 PM
Argentina Vs Croatia (D) Nizhny Novgorod 11:30 PM
June 22 Brazil Vs Costa Rica (E) St Petersburg 05:30 PM
Nigeria Vs Iceland (D) Volgograd 08:30 PM
Serbia Vs Switzerland (E) Kaliningrad 11:30 PM
June 23 Belgium Vs Tunisia (G) Moscow (Spartak) 05:30 PM
South Korea Vs Mexico (F) Rostov-on-Don 08:30 PM
Germany Vs Sweden (F) Sochi 11:30 PM
June 24 England Vs Panama (G) Nizhny Novgorod 05:30 PM
Japan Vs Senegal (H) Ekaterinburg 08:30 PM
Poland Vs Colombia (H) Kazan 11:30 PM
June 25 Uruguay Vs Russia (A) Samara 07:30 PM
Saudi Arabia Vs Egypt (A) Volgograd 07:30 PM
Spain Vs Morocco (B) Kaliningrad 11:30 PM
Iran Vs Portugal (B) Saransk 11:30 PM
June 26 Denmark Vs France (C) Moscow (Luzhniki) 07:30 PM
Australia Vs Peru (C) Sochi 07:30 PM
Nigeria Vs Argentina (D) St Petersburg 11:30 PM
Iceland Vs Croatia (D) Rostov-on-Don 11:30 PM
June 27 South Korea Vs Germany (F) Kazan 07:30 PM
Mexico Vs Sweden (F) Ekaterinburg 07:30 PM
Serbia Vs Brazil (E) Moscow (Spartak) 11:30 PM
Switzerland Vs Costa Rica (E) Nizhny Novgorod 11:30 PM
June 28 Japan Vs Poland (H) Volgograd 07:30 PM
Senegal Vs Colombia (H) Samara 07:30 PM
England Vs Belgium (G) Kaliningrad 11:30 PM
Panama Vs Tunisia (G) Saransk 11:30 PM
LAST 16
June 30 1C Vs 2D (Match 50) Kazan 07:30 PM
1A Vs 2B (Match 49) Sochi 11:30 PM
July 1 1B Vs 2A (Match 51) Moscow 07:30 PM
1D Vs 2C (Match 52) Nizhny Novgorod 11:30 PM
July 2 1E Vs 2F (Match 53) Samara 07:30 PM
1G Vs 2H (Match 54) Rostov-on-Don 11:30 PM
July 3 1F Vs 2E (Match 55) St Petersburg 07:30 PM
1H Vs 2G (Match 56) Moscow (Spartak) 11:30 PM
QUARTER-FINALS
July 6 Winner 49 Vs winner 50 (57) Nizhny Novgorod 07:30 PM
Winner 53 Vs winner 54 (58) Kazan 11:30 PM
July 7 Winner 55 Vs winner 56 (60) Samara 07:30 PM
Winner 51 Vs winner 52 (59) Sochi 11:30 PM
SEMI-FINALS
July 10 Winner 57 Vs winner 58 St Petersburg 11:30 PM
July 11 Winner 59 Vs winner 60 Moscow (Luzhniki) 11:30 PM
THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF
July 14 Losers of two semi-finals St Petersburg 07:30 PM
FINAL
July 15 Winners of two-semi-finals Moscow (Luzhniki) 08:30 PM
This post was published on June 13, 2018 5:57 pm