Bengaluru, June 7: The 2018 FIFA World Cup is just a week way and with preparations almost done, the greatest players on the planet are set to take center stage in Russia. The tournament makes it return to Europe for the first time since Germany 2006, after stops in Africa and South America in 2010 and 2014 respectively.
The question on everybody's mind will be if this is the year Lionel Messi finally wins the only major trophy missing in his list of career achievements. Or can Cristiano Ronaldo power Portugal, the 2016 Euro winners, to their first ever World Cup crown.
What about the next big thing, Neymar, will he be fit enough to lead a promising Brazil team to its sixth World Cup title?
Defending champions Germany, start as favourites to lift the crown again. While, France and England have also been tipped to do well along with the dark horses Belgium who will be led by a charismatic Eden hazard.
Meanwhile, high-flying Mohamed Salah's Egypt also will be a stern test for the hosts Russia in group A along with Saudi Arabia and the South American team Uruguay led by Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.
The hosts will get the party underway on June 14 against Saudi Arabia, and on July 15 a new world champion will be crowned.
In India, Sony network have the TV rights for this edition of the World Cup, which means games will be aired on Sony Ten 2 (English) and Sony Ten 3 (Hindi).
Below you will find the Groups of FIFA World Cup 2018,
GROUP A | GROUP B | GROUP C | GROUP D | GROUP E | GROUP F | GROUP G | GROUP H |
Russia | Portugal | France | Argentina | Brazil | Germany | Belgium | Poland |
Saudi Arabia | Spain | Australia | Iceland | Switzerland | Mexico | Panama | Senegal |
Egypt | Morocco | Peru | Croatia | Costa Rica | Sweden | Tunisia | Colombia |
Uruguay | Iran | Denmark | Nigeria | Serbia | South Korea | England | Japan |
Check out the complete schedule for the tournament in Indian Standard Time (IST):
Date | Fixtures | Time(IST) | Venue |
Thursday, June 14 | Russia vs. Saudi Arabia | 8.30 PM | Moscow |
Friday, June 15 | Egypt vs. Uruguay | 5.30 PM | Yekaterinburg |
Morocco vs. Iran | 8.30 PM | St Petersburg | |
Portugal vs. Spain | 11.30 PM | Sochi | |
Saturday, June 16 | France vs. Australia | 3.30 PM | Kazan |
Argentina vs. Iceland | 6.30 PM | Moscow | |
Peru vs. Denmark | 9.30 PM | Saransk | |
Sunday, June 17 | Croatia vs. Nigeria | 12.30 AM | Kaliningrad |
Costa Rica vs. Serbia | 5.30 PM | Samara | |
Germany vs. Mexico | 8.30 PM | Moscow | |
Brazil vs. Switzerland | 11.30 PM | Rostov | |
Monday, June 18 | Sweden vs. South Korea | 5.30 PM | Nizhny Novgorod |
Belgium vs. Panama | 8.30 PM | Sochi | |
Tunisia vs. England | 11.30 PM | Volgograd | |
Tuesday, June 19 | Colombia vs. Japan | 5.30 PM | Saransk |
Poland vs. Senegal | 8.30 PM | Moscow | |
Russia vs. Egypt | 11.30 PM | Saint Petersburg | |
Wednesday, June 20 | Portugal vs. Morocco | 5.30 PM | Moscow |
Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia | 8.30 PM | Rostov | |
Iran vs. Spain | 11.30 PM | Kazan | |
Thursday, June 21 | France vs. Peru | 5.30 PM | Yekaterinburg |
Denmark vs. Australia | 8.30 PM | Samara | |
Argentina vs. Croatia | 11.30 PM | Nizhny Novgorod | |
Friday, June 22 | Brazil vs. Costa Rica | 5.30 PM | St Petersburg |
Nigeria vs. Iceland | 8.30 PM | Volgograd | |
Serbia vs. Switzerland | 11.30 PM | Kaliningrad | |
Saturday, June 23 | Belgium vs. Tunisia | 5.30 PM | Moscow |
Germany vs. Sweden | 8.30 PM | Sochi | |
South Korea vs. Mexico | 11.30 PM | Rostov | |
Sunday, June 24 | England vs. Panama | 5.30 PM | Nizhny Novgorod |
Japan vs. Senegal | 8.30 PM | Yekaterinburg | |
Poland vs. Colombia | 11.30 PM | Kazan | |
Monday, June 25 | Saudi Arabia vs. Egypt | 7.30 PM | Volgograd |
Uruguay vs. Russia | 7.30 PM | Samara | |
Iran vs. Portugal | 11.30 PM | Saransk | |
Spain vs. Morocco | 11.30 PM | Kaliningrad | |
Tuesday, June 26 | Australia vs. Peru | 7.30 PM | Sochi |
Denmark vs. France | 7.30 PM | Moscow | |
Iceland vs. Croatia | 11.30 PM | Rostov | |
Nigeria vs. Argentina | 11.30 PM | St Petersburg | |
Wednesday, June 27 | South Korea vs. Germany | 7.30 PM | Kazan |
Mexico vs. Sweden | 7.30 PM | Yekaterinburg | |
Switzerland vs. Costa Rica | 11.30 PM | Nizhny Novgorod | |
Serbia vs. Brazil | 11.30 PM | St Petersburg | |
Thursday, June 28 | Japan vs. Poland | 7.30 PM | Volgograd |
Senegal vs. Colombia | 7.30 PM | Samara | |
England vs. Belgium | 11.30 PM | Kaliningrad | |
Panama vs. Tunisia | 11.30 PM | Saransk | |
Saturday, June 30 | Round of 16: Match 50: France vs. Argentina | 7.30 PM | Kazan |
Round of 16: Match 49: Uruguay vs. Portugal | 11.30 PM | Sochi | |
Sunday, July 1 | Round of 16: Match 51: Spain vs. Russia | 7.30 PM | Moscow |
Round of 16: Match 52: Croatia vs. Denmark | 11.30 PM | Nizhny Novgorod | |
Monday, July 2 | Round of 16: Match 53: Brazil vs. Mexico | 7.30 PM | Samara |
Round of 16: Match 54: Belgium vs. Japan | 11.30 PM | Rostov | |
Tuesday, July 3 | Round of 16: Match 55 Sweden vs. Switzerland | 7.30 PM | St Petersburg |
Round of 16: Match 56 Colombia vs. England | 11.30 PM | Rostov | |
Friday, July 6 | Quarterfinal: Match 57 Uruguay vs. France | 7.30 PM | Nizhny Novgorod |
Quarterfinal: Match 58 Brazil vs. Belgium | 11.30 PM | Kazan | |
Saturday, July 7 | Quarterfinal: Match 60 Sweden vs. England | 7.30 PM | Samara |
Quarterfinal: Match 59 Russia vs. Croatia | 11.30 PM | Sochi | |
Tuesday, July 10 | Semifinal: Match 61 France vs. Belgium | 11.30 PM | St Petersburg |
Wednesday, July 11 | Semifinal: Match 62 Croatia vs. England | 11.30 PM | Moscow |
Saturday, July 14 | Third-place match: Match 63 (Match 61 loser vs. Match 62 loser) | 7.30 PM | St Petersburg |
Sunday, July 15 | Final: Match 64 (Match 61 winner vs. Match 62 winner) | 8.30 PM | Moscow |