FIFA World Cup 2018 full schedule: Match time table in IST, Venues with complete fixtures for the showpiece tournament in Russia

The FIFA World Cup 2018 is scheduled to be held in Russia from 14 June to 15 July in Russia. Here’s the full schedule (fixtures), groups and match timings in IST. A total of 64 fixtures will be played in the course of the tournament with hosts Russia playing the first match against Saudi Arabia on 14 June. Thirty-two teams have been divided into eight groups, consisting of four teams each. The top two placed teams from each group will qualify for the knockout rounds. The last two teams left standing will battle it out in the final on 15 July for the right to be called champions of the world.

Brazil hosted the previous edition in 2014, where Germany emerged as world champions by beating the Lionel Messi-led Argentina by 1-0 in the final. The competition is expected to be a lot tougher this year as many teams have bettered themselves from the previous edition. Portugal won the European Championships in 2016, Spain look confident and eager to bounce back after their poor performance in the last outing. A vibrant France are also a side to watch out for as they have some quality young talents like Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Greizmann, Ousmane Dembele and Samuel Umtiti. Meanwhile, Brazil are seeking a resurgence after the ignominy of the 1-7 defeat to Germany at home in the semi-final stage in 2014. Neighbours Argentina, meanwhile, will give everything in Russia to send off arguably the country’s greatest player, Messi, with a trophy he has coveted since a child.

See the full schedule and groups here:

Thursday, 14 June

Russia vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) - Moscow (Luzhniki) - 8.30 pm

Friday, 15 June

Egypt vs Uruguay (Group A) - Ekaterinburg - 5.30 pm

Morocco vs Iran (Group B) - St Petersburg - 8.30 pm

Portugal vs Spain (Group B) - Sochi - 11.30 pm

Saturday, 16 June

France vs Australia (Group C) - Kazan - 3.30 pm

Argentina vs Iceland (Group D) - Moscow (Spartak) - 6.30 pm

Peru vs Denmark (Group C) - Saransk - 9.30 pm

Croatia vs Nigeria (Group D) - Kaliningrad - 12.30 am (Sunday)

Sunday, 17 June

Costa Rica vs Serbia (Group E) - Samara - 5.30 pm

Germany vs Mexico (Group F) - Moscow (Luzhniki) - 8.30 pm

Brazil vs Switzerland (Group E) - Rostov-on-Don - 11.30 pm

Monday, 18 June

Sweden vs South Korea (Group F) - Nizhny Novgorod - 5.30 pm

Belgium vs Panama (Group G) - Sochi - 8.30 pm

Tunisia vs England (Group G) - Volgograd - 11.30 pm

Tuesday, 19 June

Colombia vs Japan (Group H) - Saransk - 5.30 pm

Poland vs Senegal (Group H) - Moscow (Spartak) - 8.30 pm

Russia vs Egypt (Group A) - St Petersburg - 11.30 pm

Wednesday, 20 June

Portugal vs Morocco (Group B) - Moscow (Luzhniki) - 5.30 pm

Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) - Rostov-on-Don - 8.30 pm

Iran vs Spain (Group B) - Kazan - 11.30 pm

Thursday, 21 June

Denmark vs Australia (Group C) - Samara - 5.30 pm

France vs Peru (Group C) - Ekaterinburg - 8.30 pm

Argentina vs Croatia (Group D) - Nizhny Novgorod - 11.30 pm

Friday, 22 June

Brazil vs Costa Rica (Group E) - St Petersburg - 5.30 pm

Nigeria vs Iceland (Group D) - Volgograd - 8.30 pm

Serbia vs Switzerland (Group E) - Kaliningrad - 11.30 pm

Saturday, 23 June

Belgium vs Tunisia (Group G) - Moscow (Spartak) - 5.30 pm

South Korea vs Mexico (Group F) - Rostov-on-Don - 8.30 pm

Germany v Sweden (Group F) - Sochi - 11.30 pm

Sunday, 24 June

England vs Panama (Group G) - Nizhny Novgorod - 5.30 pm

Japan vs Senegal (Group H) - Ekaterinburg - 8.30 pm

Poland vs Colombia (Group H) - Kazan - 11.30 pm

Monday, 25 June

Uruguay vs Russia (Group A) - Samara - 7.30 pm

Saudi Arabia vs Egypt (Group A) - Volgograd - 7.30 pm

Spain vs Morocco (Group B) - Kaliningrad - 11.30 pm

Iran vs Portugal (Group B) - Saransk - 11.30 pm

Tuesday, 26 June

Denmark vs France (Group C) - Moscow (Luzhniki) - 7.30 pm

Australia vs Peru (Group C) - Sochi - 7.30 pm

Nigeria vs Argentina (Group D) - St Petersburg - 11.30 pm

Iceland vs Croatia (Group D) - Rostov-on-Don - 11.30 pm

Wednesday, 27 June

South Korea vs Germany (Group F) - Kazan - 7.30 pm

Mexico vs Sweden (Group F) - Ekaterinburg - 7.30 pm

Serbia vs Brazil (Group E) - Moscow (Spartak) - 11.30 pm

Switzerland vs Costa Rica (Group E) - Nizhny Novgorod - 11.30 pm

Thursday 28 June

Japan vs Poland (Group H) - Volgograd - 7.30 pm

Senegal vs Colombia (Group H) - Samara - 7.30 pm

England vs Belgium (Group G) - Kaliningrad - 11.30 pm

Panama vs Tunisia (Group G) - Saransk - 11.30 pm

Round of 16

Saturday, 30 June

France vs Argentina - Kazan - 7.30 pm (Match 49)

Uruguay vs Portugal - Sochi - 11.30 pm (Match 50)

Sunday, 1 July

Spain vs Russia - Moscow (Luzhniki) - 7.30 pm (Match 51)

Croatia vs Denmark - Nizhny Novgorod - 11.30 pm (Match 52)

Monday, 2 July

Brazil vs Mexico - Samara - 7.30 pm (Match 53)

Belgium vs Japan - Rostov-on-Don - 11.30 pm (Match 54)

Tuesday, 3 July

Sweden vs Switzerland - St Petersburg - 7.30 pm (Match 55)

Colombia vs England - Moscow (Spartak) - 11.30 pm (Match 56)

Quarter-finals

Friday, 6 July

Uruguay vs France - Nizhny Novgorod - 7.30 pm (Match 57)

Brazil vs Belgium - Kazan - 11.30 pm (Match 58)

Saturday, 7 July

Sweden vs England - Samara - 7.30 pm (Match 60)

Russia vs Croatia - Sochi - 11.30 pm (Match 59)

Semi-finals

Tuesday, 10 July

France vs Belgium - St Petersburg - 11.30 pm (Match 61)

Wednesday, 11 July

Croatia vs England - Moscow (Luzhniki) - 11.30 pm (Match 62)

Third place play-off

Saturday, 14 July

Belgium vs England - St Petersburg - 7.30 pm

Final

Sunday, 15 July

France vs Croatia - Moscow (Luzhniki) - 8.30 pm -  Click here for the live updates of the FIFA World Cup 2018 final between France and Croatia

Russia are bidding to avoid the ignominy of becoming only the second World Cup hosts to fail to reach the knockout stage and have been given a good draw in a wide-open Group A. England and France have favourable draws. Portugal are slated to face neighbours Spain in Group B, and Argentina drew one of the tougher first-round groups, as they were paired with Croatia, Iceland and Nigeria. Mexico, the CONCACAF champions, will play defending champions Germany, Sweden and South Korea in Group F.

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