FIFA World Cup 2018 Opening Ceremony: Robbie Williams, Ronaldo Headline Event

The home side will have a huge support as can be seen for this photo. No home team has lost the first match of a FIFA World Cup before, let' see if that will be the case today as well. A goodbye from us, we will now see you during the match blog. 

Aida Garifullina has now joined Robbie Williams in singing for the fans. Also, there are 32 performers carrying the flags of the teams who are participating in the world cup. Brazil legend Ronaldo is also making his way into the middle and playing with the boy and mascot.

After singling Let Me Entertain You, Robbie Williams is now playing Feel, accompanied by dancers and performers. In between the two songs, Alexander Boldachev, the harpist, played a very fine tune which acted as a transition.

Robbie Williams is now making is way into the middle and so is Brazilian superstar and world cup winner Ronaldo. Williams is expected to sing four songs and none of them will be 'Party Like a Russian'. The entire pitch is covered by dancers and athletes performing to the tune of Williams. 

The opening ceremony has begun with a montage of what Russia is all about and a kid playing football through the iconic places in the country. The whole world is about to go into a standstill folks so brace yourselves. 

Meanwhile, here is the line-up of the two teams:

Russia - Akinfeev, Fernandes, Kutepov, Ignashevich, Zhirkov, Gazinskiy, Zobnin, Samedov, Golovin, Dzagoev, Smolov.

Saudi Arabia - Al-Maiouf, Al-Breik, Omar Hawsawi, Osama Hawsawi, Al-Shahrani, Al-Faraj, Otayf, Al-Jassim, Al-Shehri, Al-Dawsari, Al-Sahlawi.

Reunited with the #WorldCup trophy 😍🏆

Thanks, @IkerCasillas, we always knew you had safe hands 🙌 pic.twitter.com/7PJGXitCvT

— FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@FIFAWorldCup) June 14, 2018

British pop star Robbie Williams, who will be performing at the World Cup opening ceremony in Moscow on Thursday, said he will not be performing his hit song “Party Like A Russian.” Williams said he will be performing “a medley, a smorgasbord of my greatest hits” alongside Russian soprano Aida Garifullina. “I would love to do ‘Party Like A Russian.’ Unfortunately I’ve been asked not to do ‘Party Like A Russian,” he said. Williams immediately added: “Actually, it has nothing to do with not being asked. It’s about me doing my biggest hits that are the best known.” In the 2016 track, the Briton sings “it takes a certain kind of man with a certain reputation, to alleviate the cash from a whole entire nation.”

Apart from the enthralling music performances during the opening ceremony, there is also reportedly going to be a speech by the Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Ahead of the opening ceremony the FIFA World Cup trophy has been brought to the Luzhniki Stadium by former Spain captain Iker Casillas and the ambassador for 2018 World Cup Victoria Lopyreva.

Very excited to be returning to Russia to perform at the opening of the @FIFAWorldCup - tune in early on Thursday for an unforgettable show! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/skwCwt21SM

— Robbie Williams (@robbiewilliams) June 11, 2018

Neither of the performers have taken the stage together before this. According to Robbie Williams the FIFA World Cup is the biggest entertainer globally and Aida is also happy to be part of the big spectacle in Russia. 

Robbie Williams will not be performing his hit song 'Party Like a Russian' but he will be performing a medley of his greatest hits during his bit at the opening ceremony. The singer says it will a collection of the most famous songs. 

Among the performers at what is expected to be a glitzy opening ceremony will be the British pop star Robbie Williams and Russian soprano Aida Garifullina.

Hello and welcome to the live updates of the FIFA World Cup 2018 opening ceremony. The World Cup kicks off in Russia on Thursday as years of preparations dogged by diplomatic scandals give way to a month of action on the field in football's global showpiece. Russia get the ball rolling against Saudi Arabia at the completely refurbished 80,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow after an opening ceremony attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.