Dhaka – 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,UNB
