FIFA World Cup to kick off tomorrow

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