Fifa World Cup 2018: Full schedule, date-wise fixtures, venues and start time

With only two days to go for one of the world's greatest sporting events — Fifa World Cup, football frenzy is gripping the globe.

Hosts Russia will kickstart the quadrennial global spectacle against higher-ranked Asian side Saudi Arabia in their Group A fixture at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow where the final will also be held.

Former champions Spain and reigning European champions Portugal will go head-to-head as early as on the second day (June 15) of the tournament in Sochi while one of the tournament favourites, France, and Argentina will begin their campaigns on Saturday, June 16.

Defending champions Germany will face Mexico in Moscow in their tournament opener while Brazil, who were the first team after the hosts to qualify for the World Cup finals, open their campaign against Switzerland in Rostov-on-Don on the first Sunday of the tournament.

Fifa World Cup 2018 - Tournament format

Thirty-two teams, drawn into eight groups of four each, will battle for the coveted title between June 14 and July 15 in Russia, across 12 venues and 11 cities.

The group stage of the World Cup will see each team taking on three other teams in their group in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Round of 16 stage, starting June 30.

If two or more teams are tied on points at the end of the group stage, the rankings are determined based on 1: goal difference in the group matches between the teams concerned, 2: goals scored in group matches between the teams concerned.

Groups

1. Group A: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay
2. Group B: Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Iran
3. Group C: France, Australia, Peru, Denmark
4. Group D: Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria
5. Group E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia
6. Group F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, Korea Republic
7. Group G: Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England
8. Group H: Poland, Senegal, Colombia, Japan.

Venues

1. Moscow: Luzhniki Stadium
2. Moscow: Spartak Stadium
3. Samara: Samara Arena
4. Nizhny Novgorod: Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
5. Volgograd: Volgograd Arena
6. Ekaterinburg: Ekaterinburg Arena
7. Saransk: Mordovia Arena
8. Rostov-on-Don: Rostov Arena
9. Kaliningrad: Kaliningrad Stadium
10. Kazan: Kazan Arena
11. Sochi: Fisht Stadium
12. St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg Stadium

Full schedule: Fifa World Cup 2018

(Note: Spartak Stadium matches are marked as Moscow*)

Group Phase

Knockout Phase

Round of 16

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final and third-place playoff