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2018 FIFA World Cup Groups And Full Schedule: Date, Time And Venues of All the Matches

The 21st edition of the prestigious FIFA World Cup will be held in Russia this year, and will kick off on June 14th with hosts Russia taking on Saudi Arabia in a Group A encounter at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow. The final of the tournament will be held a month later, on July 15th at the same stadium as the opening match - Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The defending champions going into this edition of the World Cup is Germany.

Updated:May 14, 2018, 4:16 PM IST
2018 FIFA World Cup Groups And Full Schedule: Date, Time And Venues of All the Matches
(Image: FIFA)
The 21st edition of the prestigious FIFA World Cup will be held in Russia this year, and will kick off on June 14th with hosts Russia taking on Saudi Arabia in a Group A encounter at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow. The final of the tournament will be held a month later, on July 15th at the same stadium as the opening match - Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The defending champions going into this edition of the World Cup is Germany.

This is the first World Cup that is being played in Europe since 2006, when Italy were crowned world champions in Germany. The 32 team tournament will see 64 keenly contested matches spread out over 12 venues in 11 cities in Russia.

Schedule:
Date Match Venue TME IST
Thursday, June 14Russia v Saudi Arabia (A)Moscow (Luzhniki)08:30PM
Friday, June 15Egypt v Uruguay (A)Ekaterinburg05:30PM
Friday, June 15Morocco v Iran (B)St Petersburg08:30PM
Friday, June 15Portugal v Spain (B)Sochi11:30PM
Saturday, June 16France v Australia (C)Kazan03:30PM
Saturday, June 16Argentina v Iceland (D)Moscow (Spartak)06:30PM
Saturday, June 16Peru v Denmark (C)Saransk09:30PM
Saturday, June 16Croatia v Nigeria (D)Kaliningrad12:30AM
Sunday, June 17Costa Rica v Serbia (E)Samara05:30PM
Sunday, June 17Germany v Mexico (F)Moscow (Luzhniki)08:30PM
Sunday, June 17Brazil v Switzerland (E)Rostov-on-Don11:30PM
Monday, June 18Sweden v South Korea (F)Nizhny Novgorod05:30PM
Monday, June 18Belgium v Panama (G)Sochi08:30PM
Monday, June 18Tunisia v England (G)Volgograd11:30PM
Tuesday, June 19Colombia v Japan (H)Saransk05:30PM
Tuesday, June 19Poland v Senegal (H)Moscow (Spartak)08:30PM
Tuesday, June 19Russia v Egypt (A)St Petersburg11:30PM
Wednesday, June 20Portugal v Morocco (B)Moscow (Luzhniki)05:30PM
Wednesday, June 20Uruguay v Saudi Arabia (A)Rostov-on-Don08:30PM
Wednesday, June 20Iran v Spain (B)Kazan11:30PM
Thursday, June 21Denmark v Australia (C)Samara05:30PM
Thursday, June 21France v Peru (C)Ekaterinburg08:30PM
Thursday, June 21Argentina v Croatia (D)Nizhny Novgorod11:30PM
Friday, June 22Brazil v Costa Rica (E)St Petersburg05:30PM
Friday, June 22Nigeria v Iceland (D)Volgograd08:30PM
Friday, June 22Serbia v Switzerland (E)Kaliningrad11:30PM
Saturday, June 23Belgium v Tunisia (G)Moscow (Spartak)05:30PM
Saturday, June 23South Korea v Mexico (F)Rostov-on-Don08:30PM
Saturday, June 23Germany v Sweden (F)Sochi11:30PM
Sunday, June 24England v Panama (G)Nizhny Novgorod05:30PM
Sunday, June 24Japan v Senegal (H)Ekaterinburg08:30PM
Sunday, June 24Poland v Colombia (H)Kazan11:30PM
Monday, June 25Uruguay v Russia (A)Samara7:30PM
Monday, June 25Saudi Arabia v Egypt (A)Volgograd7:30PM
Monday, June 25Spain v Morocco (B)Kaliningrad11:30PM
Monday, June 25Iran v Portugal (B)Saransk11:30PM
Tuesday, June 26Denmark v France (C)Moscow (Luzhniki)7:30PM
Tuesday, June 26Australia v Peru (C)Sochi7:30PM
Tuesday, June 26Nigeria v Argentina (D)St Petersburg11:30PM
Tuesday, June 26Iceland v Croatia (D)Rostov-on-Don11:30PM
Wednesday, June 27South Korea v Germany (F)Kazan7:30PM
Wednesday, June 27Mexico v Sweden (F)Ekaterinburg7:30PM
Wednesday, June 27Serbia v Brazil (E)Moscow (Spartak)11:30PM
Wednesday, June 27Switzerland v Costa Rica (E)Nizhny Novgorod11:30PM
Thursday, June 28Japan v Poland (H)Volgograd7:30PM
Thursday, June 28Senegal v Colombia (H)Samara7:30PM
Thursday, June 28England v Belgium (G)Kaliningrad11:30PM
Thursday, June 28Panama v Tunisia (G)Saransk11:30PM
LAST 16
Saturday, June 301C v 2D (Match 50)Kazan7:30PM
Saturday, June 301A v 2B (Match 49)Sochi11:30PM
Sunday, July 11B v 2A (Match 51)Moscow7:30PM
Sunday, July 11D v 2C (Match 52)Nizhny Novgorod11:30PM
Monday, July 21E v 2F (Match 53)Samara7:30PM
Monday, July 21G v 2H (Match 54)Rostov-on-Don11:30PM
Tuesday, July 31F v 2E (Match 55)St Petersburg7:30PM
Tuesday, July 31H v 2G (Match 56)Moscow (Spartak)11:30PM
QUARTER-FINALS
Friday, July 6Winner 49 v winner 50 (57)Nizhny Novgorod7:30PM
Friday, July 6Winner 53 v winner 54 (58)Kazan11:30PM
Saturday, July 7Winner 55 v winner 56 (60)Samara7:30PM
Saturday, July 7Winner 51 v winner 52 (59)Sochi11:30PM
SEMI-FINALS
Tuesday, July 10Winner 57 v winner 58St Petersburg11:30PM
Wednesday, July 11Winner 59 v winner 60Moscow (Luzhniki)11:30PM
THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF
Saturday, July 14Losers of two semi-finalsSt Petersburg7:30PM
FINAL
Sunday, July 15Winners of two-semi-finalsMoscow (Luzhniki)08:30PM


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.

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