FIFA World Cup 2018 kicks off Today
Publish | 14 Jun 2018, 11:14
The long-awaited 32-nation FIFA World Cup 2018 begins on Thursday with hosts Russia taking on Saudi Arabia in the opening match at the 80,000 capacity Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow amid huge enthusiasm among millions of soccer fans across the world.
The match will kick off at 9pm Bangladesh time.
World best 32 football playing nations, split into eight groups, will participate in the biggest show on earth missed by four-time champions Italy, 2010 finalist Netherlands, two-time Copa champions Chile and the USA while Saudi Arabia returned to the World Cup after 2002.
The 30-minute glittering opening ceremony will begin at 8:30 pm (BST) with 500 local performers, including dancers, gymnasts and trampolinists, rendering the show.
Brazil's two-time World Cup winner Ronaldo will show off the trophy to 80,000 fans inside the stadium.
World Cup organisers earlier announced that British singer Robbie Williams will perform at the World Cup opening ceremony on Thursday. In the 1990s, Williams was a part of the pop group “Take That.”
Robbie Williams will open the World Cup programme with Russia soprano Aida Garifullina joining the English singer for what FIFA has described as a "musical extravaganza".
A fireworks display is set to bring the ceremony to a close before the World Cup competition returns four years on from Mario Gotze's decisive contribution in Brazil.
Bangladesh U-12 boy Rafi is going to create a history in the opening ceremony of 21st FIFA World Cup as Ambassador of Bangladesh. He will carry the national flag of Bangladesh accompanied by Bangladeshi young journalist Shams alongside the budding footballers of some 211 countries across the world in the ceremony.
Bangladeshi budding footballer Rafi, now in Russia Under FIFA Football For Friendship programme, also played for Galapagos Sea Lions team alongside the players of six countries China, Cyprus, Liberia, Anguilla, Ivory Coast and Turks & Caicos Island at Spartak Stadium in Moscow and scored six goals in the three matches on Tuesday ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2018.
Meanwhile, World Cup fever grabbed capital Dhaka and all over the country as the flags of two favoruite teams Brazil and Argentina have already hoisted atop roofs, shops, road islands and important points of the city and other areas.
Grouping and Fixture of FIFA World Cup Russia’2018
Grouping:
Group A: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay
Group B: Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Iran
Group C: France, Australia, Peru, Denmark
Group D: Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria
Group E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia
Group F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea
Group G: Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England
Group H: Poland, Senegal, Colombia, Japan
Schedule:
GROUP STAGE
Date: Match Venue Kick-off
Thursday June 14 Russia v Saudi Arabia (A) Moscow (Luzhniki) 4pm GMT
Friday June 15 Egypt v Uruguay (A) Ekaterinburg 1pm
Friday June 15 Morocco v Iran (B) St Petersburg 4pm
Friday June 15 Portugal v Spain (B) Sochi 7pm
Saturday June 16 France v Australia (C) Kazan 11am
Saturday June 16 Argentina v Iceland (D) Moscow (Spartak) 2pm
Saturday June 16 Peru v Denmark (C) Saransk 5pm
Saturday June 16 Croatia v Nigeria (D) Kaliningrad 8pm
Sunday June 17 Costa Rica v Serbia (E) Samara 1pm
Sunday June 17 Germany v Mexico (F) Moscow (Luzhniki) 4pm
Sunday June 17 Brazil v Switzerland (E) Rostov-on-Don 7pm
Monday June 18 Sweden v South Korea (F) Nizhny Novgorod 1pm
Monday June 18 Belgium v Panama (G) Sochi 4pm
Monday June 18 Tunisia v England (G) Volgograd 7pm
Tuesday June 19 Poland v Senegal (H) Moscow (Spartak) 1pm
Tuesday June 19 Colombia v Japan (H) Saransk 4pm
Tuesday June 19 Russia v Egypt (A) St Petersburg 7pm
Wednesday June 20 Portugal v Morocco (B) Moscow (Luzhniki) 1pm
Wednesday June 20 Uruguay v Saudi Arabia (A) Rostov-on-Don 4pm
Wednesday June 20 Iran v Spain (B) Kazan 7pm
Thursday June 21 France v Peru (C) Ekaterinburg 1pm
Thursday June 21 Denmark v Australia (C) Samara 4pm
Thursday June 21 Argentina v Croatia (D) Nizhny Novgorod 7pm
Friday June 22 Brazil v Costa Rica (E) St Petersburg 1pm
Friday June 22 Nigeria v Iceland (D) Volgograd 4pm
Friday June 22 Serbia v Switzerland (E) Kaliningrad 7pm
Saturday June 23 Belgium v Tunisia (G) Moscow (Spartak) 1pm
Saturday June 23 Germany v Sweden (F) Sochi 4pm
Saturday June 23 South Korea v Mexico (F) Rostov-on-Don 7pm
Sunday June 24 England v Panama (G) Nizhny Novgorod 1pm
Sunday June 24 Japan v Senegal (H) Ekaterinburg 4pm
Sunday June 24 Poland v Colombia (H) Kazan 7pm
Monday June 25 Uruguay v Russia (A) Samara 3pm
Monday June 25 Saudi Arabia v Egypt (A) Volgograd 3pm
Monday June 25 Spain v Morocco (B) Kaliningrad 7pm
Monday June 25 Iran v Portugal (B) Saransk 7pm
Tuesday June 26 Denmark v France (C) Moscow (Luzhniki) 3pm
Tuesday June 26 Australia v Peru (C) Sochi 3pm
Tuesday June 26 Nigeria v Argentina (D) St Petersburg 7pm
Tuesday June 26 Iceland v Croatia (D) Rostov-on-Don 7pm
Wednesday June 27 South Korea v Germany (F) Kazan 3pm
Wednesday June 27 Mexico v Sweden (F) Ekaterinburg 3pm
Wednesday June 27 Serbia v Brazil (E) Moscow (Spartak) 7pm
Wednesday June 27 Switzerland v Costa Rica (E) Nizhny Novgorod 7pm
Thursday June 28 Japan v Poland (H) Volgograd 3pm
Thursday June 28 Senegal v Colombia (H) Samara 3pm
Thursday June 28 England v Belgium (G) Kaliningrad 7pm
Thursday June 28 Panama v Tunisia (G) Saransk 7pm
LAST 16
Saturday June 30 1C v 2D (Match 50) Kazan 3pm
Saturday June 30 1A v 2B (Match 49) Sochi 7pm
Sunday July 1 1B v 2A (Match 51) Moscow 3pm
Sunday July 1 1D v 2C (Match 52) Nizhny Novgorod 7pm
Monday July 2 1E v 2F (Match 53) Samara 3pm
Monday July 2 1G v 2H (Match 54) Rostov-on-Don 7pm
Tuesday July 3 1F v 2E (Match 55) St Petersburg 3pm
Tuesday July 3 1H v 2G (Match 56) Moscow (Spartak) 7pm
QUARTER-FINALS
Friday July 6 Winner 49 v winner 50 (57) Nizhny Novgorod 3pm
Friday July 6 Winner 53 v winner 54 (58) Kazan 7pm
Saturday July 7 Winner 55 v winner 56 (60) Samara 3pm
Saturday July 7 Winner 51 v winner 52 (59) Sochi 7pm
SEMI-FINALS
Tuesday July 10 Winner 57 v winner 58 St Petersburg 7pm
Wednesday July 11 Winner 59 v winner 60 Moscow (Luzhniki) 7pm
THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF
Saturday July 14 Losers of two semi-finals St Petersburg 3pm
FINAL
Sunday July 15 Winners of two-semi-finals Moscow (Luzhniki) 4pm