DESCRIPTION:
* A total of 64 matches will be played in the course of the tournament.
* Thirty two teams will first play league matches after being divided into eight groups.
* Top two finishers from each group will qualify for the knockout rounds.
* Brazil hosted the previous edition in 2014, where Germany emerged champions by beating the Lionel Messi-led Argentina 1-0 in the final.
* Russia was awarded the hosting rights on 2 December 2010.
* Iceland and Panama will both be making their first appearances at a FIFA World Cup.
* Four-time champions Italy, three-time runner-up the Netherlands, Cameroon, Chile, United States, Ghana and Ivory Coast failed to qualify for the World Cup 2018 Finals .
STADIUMS: The following 12 stadiums in 11 cities have been built and renovated for the FIFA World Cup.
Samara: Samara Arena (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 45,000).
Nizhny Novgorod: Nizhny Novgorod Stadium (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 45,000).
Volgograd: Volgograd Arena (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 45,000).
Ekaterinburg: Ekaterinburg Arena (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 35,000).
Saransk: Mordovia Arena (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 44,000).
Rostov-on-Don: Rostov Arena (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 45,000).
Kaliningrad: Kaliningrad Stadium (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 35,000).
Kazan: Kazan Arena (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 45,000).
Moscow: Spartak Stadium (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 45,000).
Sochi: Fisht Stadium (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 45,000).
Saint Petersburg: Saint Petersburg Stadium (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 67,000).
Moscow: Luzhniki Stadium (seating capacity during the FIFA World Cup: 80,000). The largest stadium in the country was closed for renovation in 2013.
GROUPINGS:
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, Mexica, Sweden, South Korea
Group-G: Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England
Group-H: Poland, Senegal, Colombia, Japan
SCHEDULE (Indian Standard Time):
GROUP LEAGUE:
June 14, Thursday (Match 1): Russia vs Saudi Arabia, Moscow (8:30 PM)
June 15, Friday (Match 2): Egypt vs Uruguay, Ekaterinburg (5:30 PM)
June 15, Friday (Match 3): Morocco vs Iran, St Petersburg (8:30 PM)
June 15, Friday (Match 4): Portugal vs Spain, Sochi (11:30 PM)
June 16, Saturday (Match 5): France vs Australia, Kazan (3:30 PM)
June 16, Saturday (Match 6): Argentina vs Iceland, Moscow (6:30 PM)
June 16, Saturday (Match 7): Peru vs Denmark, Saransk (9:30 PM)
June 17, Sunday (Match 8): Croatia vs Nigeria, Kaliningrad (12:30 AM)
June 17, Sunday (Match 9): Costa Rica vs Serbia, Samara (5:30 PM)
June 17, Sunday (Match 10): Germany vs Mexico, Moscow (8:30 PM)
June 17, Sunday (Match 11): Brazil vs Switzerland, Rostov-on-Don (11:30 PM)
June 18, Monday (Match 12): Sweden vs Korea Republic, Nizhny Novgorod (5:30 PM)
June 18, Monday (Match 13): Belgium vs Panama, Sochi (8:30 PM)
June 18, Monday (Match 14): Tunisia vs England, Volgograd (11:30 PM)
June 19, Tuesday (Match 15): Colombia vs Japan, Saransk (5:30 PM)
June 19, Tuesday (Match 16): Poland vs Senegal, Moscow (8:30 PM)
June 19, Tuesday (Match 17): Russia vs Egypt, St Petersburg (11:30 PM)
June 20, Wednesday (Match 18): Portugal vs Morocco, Moscow (5:30 PM)
June 20, Wednesday (Match 19): Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia, Rostov-on-Don (8:30 PM)
June 20, Wednesday (Match 20): Iran vs Spain, Kazan (11:30 PM)
June 21, Thursday (Match 21): Denmark vs Australia, Samara (5:30 PM)
June 21, Thursday (Match 22): France vs Peru, Ekaterinburg (8:30 PM)
June 21, Thursday (Match 23): Argentina vs Croatia, Nizhny Novgorod (11:30 PM)
June 22, Friday (Match 24): Brazil vs Costa Rica, St Petersburg (5:30 PM)
June 22, Friday (Match 25): Nigeria vs Iceland, Volgograd (8:30 PM)
June 22, Friday (Match 26): Serbia vs Switzerland, Kaliningrad (11:30 PM)
June 23, Saturday (Match 27): Belgium vs Tunisia, Moscow (5:30 PM)
June 23, Saturday (Match 28): Korea Republic vs Mexico, Rostov-on-Don (8:30 PM)
June 23, Saturday (Match 29): Germany vs Sweden, Sochi (11:30 PM)
June 24, Sunday (Match 30): England vs Panama, Nizhny Novgorod (5:30 PM)
June 24, Sunday (Match 31): Japan vs Senegal, Ekaterinburg (8:30 PM)
June 24, Sunday (Match 32): Poland vs Colombia, Kazan (11:30 PM)
June 25, Monday (Match 33): Uruguay vs Russia, Samara (7:30 PM)
June 25, Monday (Match 34): Saudi Arabia vs Egypt, Volgograd (7:30 PM)
June 25, Monday (Match 35): Iran vs Portugal, Kaliningrad (11:30 PM)
June 25, Monday (Match 36): Spain vs Morocco, Saransk (11:30 PM)
June 26, Tuesday (Match 37): Denmark vs France, Sochi (7:30 PM)
June 26, Tuesday (Match 38): Australia vs Peru, Moscow (7:30 PM)
June 26, Tuesday (Match 39): Nigeria vs Argentina, St Petersburg (11:30 PM)
June 26, Tuesday (Match 40): Iceland vs Croatia, Rostov-on-Don (11:30 PM)
June 27, Wednesday (Match 41): Mexico vs Korea Republic, Kazan (5:30 PM)
June 27, Wednesday (Match 42): South Republic vs Germany, Ekaterinburg (7:30 PM)
June 27, Wednesday (Match 43): Serbia vs Brazil, Moscow (11:30 PM)
June 27, Wednesday (Match 44): Switzerland vs Costa Rica, Nizhny Novgorod (11:30 PM)
June 28, Thursday (Match 45): Japan vs Poland, Volgograd (7:30 PM)
June 28, Thursday (Match 46): Senegal vs Colombia, Samara (7:30 PM)
June 28, Thursday (Match 47): Panama vs Tunisia, Saransk (11:30 PM)
June 28, Thursday (Match 48): England vs Belgium, Kaliningrad (11:30 PM)
ROUND OF 16:
June 30, Saturday (Match 49): 1C vs 2D, Kazan (7:30 PM)
June 30, Saturday (Match 50): 1A vs 2B, Sochi (11:30 PM)
July 1, Sunday (Match 51): 1B vs 2A, Moscow (7:30 PM)
July 1, Sunday (Match 52): 1D vs 2C, Nizhny Novgorod (11:30 PM)
July 2, Monday (Match 53): 1E vs 2F, Samara (7:30 PM)
July 2, Monday (Match 54): 1G vs 2H, Rostov-on-Don (11:30 PM)
July 3, Tuesday (Match 55): 1F vs 2E, St Petersburg (7:30 PM)
July 3, Tuesday (Match 56): 1H vs 2G, Moscow (11:30 PM)
QUARTERFINALS:
July 6, Friday (Match 57): W49 vs W50, Nizhny Novgorod (7:30 PM)
July 6, Friday (Match 58): W53 vs W54, Kazan (11:30 PM)
July 7, Saturday (Match 59): W55 vs W56, Samara (7:30 PM)
July 7, Saturday (Match 60): W51 vs W52, Sochi (11:30 PM)
SEMIFINALS:
July 10, Tuesday (Match 61): W57 vs W58, St Petersburg (11:30 PM)
July 11, Wednesday (Match 62): W59 vs W60, Moscow (11:30 PM)
THIRD-PLACE:
July 14, Saturday (Match 63): L61 vs L62, St Petersburg (7:30 PM)
FINAL:
July 15, Sunday (Match 64): W61 vs W62, Moscow (8:30 PM)