FIFA World Cup Finals - Russia 2018

[White Lightning]

The road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ has been laid out for 141 teams from across the globe as St Petersburg's Konstantin Palace hosted a dramatic and star-studded Preliminary Draw.

A global audience of approximately 94.8 million tuned in as the spectacular show, hosted by Dmitry Shepelev and supermodel Natalia Vodianova, blended football with some of the best in Russian music and culture. The draw itself - overseen by Jérôme Valcke, FIFA's Secretary General - also produced its fair share of fireworks, with Spain-Italy and Chile-Brazil on the first South American matchday just a couple of the mouth-watering games left to tantalise the beautiful game's billions of fans.

Words of welcome

All of those enthusiasts had earlier been promised the warmest of welcomes by Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, who kicked off proceedings by addressing the 2,000 guests and viewers from across the world. "Our country has a long-standing football history and the World Cup will definitely enhance the game's reputation," said Putin. "This is a tournament that will be wonderful not only for Russia but for all our neighbouring countries. It is Russia's great pleasure to be hosting the World Cup, which will offer a great chance to show our country's many faces to the world."

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter also expressed his excitement about the tournament, although he sought to shift the focus - for now at least - to the eagerly awaited preliminaries. "This is an important day in the long and winding road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup," said Blatter. "The tournament is very much on track and Russia will be fantastic hosts. But first a much longer competition must take place, lasting no less than 33 months, with over 850 matches taking place. And when all's said and done, we will know the teams that will compete in Russia."

The draw process was interlaced with entertaining performances, the first of which came when the Terem-Quartet and artists and football jugglers from the Leningrad Centre brought a uniquely Russian flavour to a well-known western pop song. 'Get the Party Started' proved a fitting theme, too, because the main event began to unfold immediately afterwards, with the Intercontinental Play-off draw pitting CONCACAF against AFC, leaving OFC's hopefuls to face an opponent from the CONMEBOL region.

This was the only aspect of the draw which concerned teams in Asia, where qualifying is already underway. Tribute was paid, nonetheless, to two of the continent's great early success stories, with Valcke highlighting the momentous wins enjoyed by both Bhutan and Guam.

Big names and big challenges

Rinat Dasayev, Soviet goalkeeping legend, and Cameroon icon Samuel Eto'o, then assisted FIFA's Secretary-General in setting out the route for Africa's 2018 contenders, with Somalia having the honour of being the first team picked out in this Preliminary Draw. And while the big guns will only meet later in the process, the first and second round ties look set to include some David and Goliath-style meetings, with Nigeria set to face the winner of a tie between Swaziland and Djibouti, the continent's lowest-ranked nation.

Next up, via a rendition of 'Podmoskovnye Vechera' by opera singers Hibla Gerzmava and Vasily Gerello, it was the turn of teams from North, Central America and the Caribbean to learn the first of their qualifying opponents. This part of the process, led by Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro and beach soccer icon Madjer, left USA and Mexico paired with Trinidad and Tobago and Honduras respectively in Round 4, while CONCACAF Gold Cup finalists Jamaica must first negotiate a third-round tie with Nicaragua.

Oceania's teams would have been feeling nervous by this stage, although they were soothed before their section of the draw by the beauty and elegance of two dancers performing an excerpt of Boris Eifman's ballet Anna Karenina to music by Tchaikovsky. Alexey Smertin and Predrag Rajkovic, captain of Serbia's FIFA U-20 World Cup winners, then assisted Valcke in laying out the continent's groups, one of which pitted top-ranked New Zealand against Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu.

Heavyweight clashes in South America, Europe

The honour of conducting South America's draw fell thereafter to two of the continent's striking greats: Ronaldo and Diego Forlan. In this region, where every team does battle within the same group, the opening-day matches were the centre of attention, and O Fenômeno admitted to fearing for Brazil after they were handed a trip to Copa America champions Chile.

The main draw concluded with sights turned to Europe, although only after the guests had been treated to an up-tempo Football Medley by the World Jazz Stars. The musicians were then replaced on stage by Aleksandr Kerzhakov and Oliver Bierhoff, who helped lay out the task facing the 51 teams in a continent with 13 slots up for grabs.

Gasps swiftly followed, with Spain and Italy - winners in 2010 and 2006 respectively - drawn together in Group G, with other pairings including France and the Netherlands and the oldest international rivalry of all: England-Scotland. Defending champions Germany, meanwhile, will face the first challenges to their crown against the likes of Czech Republic, Northern Ireland and Norway.

And, with that, it was over. Polina Gagarina provided the final musical treat for the 2000 guests, while fans from across the world - some delighted, some dismayed - were left to pore over the draw and what it means for their teams' chances of reaching Russia 2018.

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[White Lightning]

Round 1

Sept 4th 2016

Group C

Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle

San Marino 0 - 1 Azerbaijan

Group E

Astana Arena, Astana

Kazakhstan 2 - 2 Poland


Telia Parken, Copenhagen

Denmark 1 - 0 Armenia

Group F

Antona Malatinského, Trnava

Slovakia 0 - 1 England

LFF Stadium, Vilnius

Lithuania 2 - 2 Slovenia

Ta'Qali National Stadium, Ta'Qali

Malta 1 - 5 Scotland

Group E

Cluj Arena, Cluj-Napoca

Romania 1 - 1 Montenegro

Group C

Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo

Norway 0 - 3 Germany

Generali Arena, Prague

Czech Republic 0 - 0 Northern Ireland


Sept 5th 2016

Group D

Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

Georgia 1 - 2 Austria

City Stadium, Cardiff

Wales 4 - 0 Moldova

FK Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade

Serbia 2 - 2 Republic of Ireland

Group G

Estadio Municipal Reino de León, Leon

Spain 8 - 0 Liechtenstein

Haifa International Stadium, Haifa

Israel 1 - 3 Italy

Group I

Maksimir, Zagreb

Croatia 1 - 1 Turkey

Olympic National Sports Complex, Kyiv

Ukraine 1 - 1 Iceland

Veritas Stadium, Turku

Finland 1 - 1 Kosovo

Sept 6th 2016

Group G

Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

Albania 2 - 1 FYR Macedonia

Group H

Bilino Polje, Zenica

Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 - 0 Estonia

Neo GSP Stadium, Nicosia

Cyprus 0 - 3 Belgium

Group B

Torsvollur, Torshavn

Faroe Islands 0 - 0 Hungary

Estadi Nacional, Andorra La Vella

Andorra 0 - 1 Latvia

St. Jakob-Park, Basel

Switzerland 2 - 0 Portugal

Group A

Friends Arena, Solna

Sweden 1 - 1 Netherlands

Vasil Levski, Sofia

Bulgaria 4 - 3 Luxembourg

Borisov Arena, Borisov

Belarus 0 - 0 France

Group H

Estadio Algarve, Faro

Gibraltar 1 - 4 Greece

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[White Lightning]

Round 1

6th Oct 2016

Group I

Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

Kosovo 0 - 6 Croatia

Laugardalsvollur, Reykjavik

Iceland 3 - 2 Finland

Konya Büyüksehir Torku Arena, Konya

Turkey 2 - 2 Ukraine

Group G

Philip II of Macedon National Stadium, Skopje

FYR Macedonia 1 - 2 Israel

Juventus Stadium, Turin

Italy 1 - 1 Spain

Rheinpark, Vaduz

Liechtenstein 0 - 2 Albania

Group D

Zimbru, Chisinau

Moldova 0 - 3 Serbia

Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Republic of Ireland 1 - 0 Georgia

Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna

Austria 2 - 2 Wales

7th Oct 2016

Group A

Josy-Barthel, Luxembourg

Luxembourg 0 - 1 Sweden

De Kuip, Rotterdam

Netherlands 4 - 1 Belarus

Stade de France, Saint-Denis

France 4 - 1 Bulgaria

Group B

Estadio Municipal, Aveiro

Portugal 6 - 0 Andorra

Skonto Stadium, Riga

Latvia 0 - 2 Faroe Islands

Groupama Arena, Budapest

Hungary 2 - 3 Switzerland

Group H

Karaiskaki Stadium, Piraeus

Greece 2 - 0 Cyprus

Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels

Belgium 4 - 0 Bosnia and Herzegovina

A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn

Estonia 4 - 0 Gibraltar

8th Oct 2016

Group F

Wembley Stadium, London

England 2 - 0 Malta

Group C

National Stadium, Baku

Azerbaijan 1 - 0 Norway

Group E

Republican Stadium, Yerevan

Armenia 0 - 5 Romania

Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica

Montenegro 5 - 0 Kazakhstan

National Stadium (Narodowy), Warsaw

Poland 3 - 2 Denmark

Group C

Windsor Park, Belfast

Northern Ireland 4 - 0 San Marino

Volksparkstadion, Hamburg

Germany 3 - 0 Czech Republic

Group F

Hampden Park, Glasgow

Scotland 1 - 1 Lithuania

Sportni Park Stozice, Ljubliana

Slovenia 1 - 0 Slovakia

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[White Lightning]

Round 1

9th Oct 2016

Group G

Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem

Israel 2 - 1 Liechtenstein

Group D

City Stadium, Cardiff

Wales 1 - 1 Georgia

Group I

Ratina Stadium (Tampere Stadium), Tampere

Finland 0 - 1 Croatia

Marshal Józef Pilsudski Stadium, Krakow

Ukraine 3 - 0 Kosovo

Laugardalsvollur, Reykjavik

Iceland 2 - 0 Turkey

Group D

Zimbru, Chisinau

Moldova 1 - 3 Republic of Ireland

FK Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade

Serbia 3 - 2 Austria

Group G

Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

Albania 0 - 2 Spain

Philip II of Macedon National Stadium, Skopje

FYR Macedonia 2 - 3 Italy

10th Oct 2016

Group H

A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn

Estonia 0 - 2 Greece

Bilino Polje, Zenica

Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 - 0 Cyprus

Group B

Skonto Stadium, Riga

Latvia 0 - 2 Hungary

Group A

Friends Arena, Solna

Sweden 3 - 0 Bulgaria

Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam

Netherlands 0 - 1 France

Group B

Torsvollur, Torshavn

Faroe Islands 0 - 6 Portugal

Estadi Nacional, Andorra La Vella

Andorra 1 - 2 Switzerland

Group A

Borisov Arena, Borisov

Belarus 1 - 1 Luxembourg

Group H

Estadio Algarve, Faro

Gibraltar 0 - 6 Belgium

11th Oct 2016

Group E

Astana Arena, Astana

Kazakhstan 0 - 0 Romania

National Stadium (Narodowy), Warsaw

Poland 2 - 1 Armenia

Telia Parken, Copenhagen

Denmark 0 - 1 Montenegro

Group F

LFF Stadium, Vilnius

Lithuania 2 - 0 Malta

Sportni Park Stozice, Ljubliana

Slovenia 0 - 0 England

Antona Malatinského, Trnava

Slovakia 3 - 0 Scotland

Group C

Vitkovice, Ostrava

Czech Republic 0 - 0 Azerbaijan

Stadium Hanover, Hanover

Germany 2 - 0 Northern Ireland

Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo

Norway 4 - 1 San Marino


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[White Lightning]

Round 1

11th Nov 2016

Group E

Republican Stadium, Yerevan

Armenia 3 - 2 Montenegro

National Arena, Bucharest

Romania 0 - 3 Poland

Telia Parken, Copenhagen

Denmark 4 - 1 Kazakhstan


Group F

Antona Malatinského, Trnava

Slovakia 4 - 0 Lithuania

Ta'Qali National Stadium, Ta'Qali

Malta 0 - 1 Slovenia

Wembley Stadium, London

England 3 - 0 Scotland


Group C

Windsor Park, Belfast

Northern Ireland 4 - 0 Azerbaijan

Eden Arena, Prague

Czech Republic 2 - 1 Norway

San Marino Stadium, Serravalle

San Marino 0 - 8 Germany


Group A

Stade de France, Saint-Denis

France 2 - 1 Sweden


12th Nov 2016

Group I

Antalya Arena, Antalya

Turkey 2 - 0 Kosovo

Maksimir, Zagreb

Croatia 2 - 0 Iceland


Group D

Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna

Austria 0 - 1 Republic of Ireland

Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

Georgia 1 - 1 Moldova

City Stadium, Cardiff

Wales 1 - 1 Serbia

Group I

Chornomorets Stadium, Odessa

Ukraine 1 - 0 Finland

Group G

Campo Los Carmenes, Granada

Spain 4 - 0 FYR Macedonia

Rheinpark, Vaduz

Liechtenstein 0 - 4 Italy

Elbasan Arena, Elbasan

Albania 0 - 3 Israel


13th Nov 2016

Group H

GSP Eugenia and Anthonis Theodotou, Nicosia

Cyprus 3 - 1 Gibraltar

Group A

Josy-Barthel, Luxembourg

Luxembourg 1 - 3 Netherlands

Vasil Levski, Sofia

Bulgaria 1 - 0 Belarus

Group B

Swissporarena, Lucerne

Switzerland 2 - 0 Faroe Islands

Groupama Arena, Budapest

Hungary 4 - 0 Andorra

Estadio Algarve, Faro

Portugal 4 - 1 Latvia

Group H

Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels

Belgium 8 - 1 Estonia

Karaiskaki Stadium, Piraeus

Greece 1 - 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina

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[White Lightning]

Round 1

24th Mar 2017

Group I

Antalya Arena, Antalya

Turkey 2 - 0 Finland


Group D

Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

Georgia 1 - 3 Serbia


Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Republic of Ireland 0 - 0 Wales


Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna

Austria 2 - 0 Moldova


Group I

Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

Kosovo 1 - 2 Iceland


Maksimir, Zagreb

Croatia 1 - 0 Ukraine


Group G

Rheinpark, Vaduz

Liechtenstein 0 - 3 FYR Macedonia


El Molinon, Gijon

Spain 4 - 1 Israel


Renzo Barbera, Palermo

Italy 2 - 0 Albania


25th Mar 2017

Group H

Neo GSP Stadium, Nicosia

Cyprus 0 - 0 Estonia


Bilino Polje, Zenica

Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 - 0 Gibraltar


Group A

Friends Arena, Solna

Sweden 4 - 0 Belarus


Group B

Stade de Genève, Geneva

Switzerland 1 - 0 Latvia


Estadi Nacional, Andorra La Vella

Andorra 0 - 0 Faroe Islands


Estadio da Luz, Lisbon

Portugal 3 - 0 Hungary


Group A

Vasil Levski, Sofia

Bulgaria 2 - 0 Netherlands


Josy-Barthel, Luxembourg

Luxembourg 1 - 3 France


Group H

Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels

Belgium 1 - 1 Greece


26th Mar 2017

Group F

Wembley Stadium, London

England 2 - 0 Lithuania


Group C

Tofig Bahramov Stadium, Baku

Azerbaijan 1 - 4 Germany


San Marino Stadium, Serravalle

San Marino 0 - 6 Czech Republic


Group E

Republican Stadium, Yerevan

Armenia 2 - 0 Kazakhstan


Dr. Constantin Radulescu Stadium, Cluj

Romania 0 - 0 Denmark


Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica

Montenegro 1 - 2 Poland


Group F

Hampden Park, Glasgow

Scotland 1 - 0 Slovenia


Ta'Qali National Stadium, Ta'Qali

Malta 1-3 Slovakia


Group C

Windsor Park, Belfast

Northern Ireland 2 - 0 Norway


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[White Lightning]

Round 1

9th June 2017

Group H

Bilino Polje, Zenica

Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 - 0 Greece

A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn

Estonia 0 - 2 Belgium

Estadio Algarve, Faro

Gibraltar 1 - 2 Cyprus


Group B

Torsvollur, Torshavn

Faroe Islands 0 - 2 Switzerland

Skonto Stadium, Riga

Latvia 0 - 3 Portugal


Estadi Nacional, Andorra La Vella

Andorra 1 - 0 Hungary


Group A

De Kuip, Rotterdam

Netherlands 5 - 0 Luxembourg

Friends Arena, Solna

Sweden 2 - 1 France

Borisov Arena, Borisov

Belarus 2 - 1 Bulgaria


10th June 2017

Group C

Tofig Bahramov Stadium, Baku

Azerbaijan 0 - 1 Northern Ireland


Group E

Central Stadium, Almaty

Kazakhstan 1 - 3 Denmark


Group F

Sportni Park Stozice, Ljubliana

Slovenia 2 - 0 Malta

Hampden Park, Glasgow

Scotland 2 - 2 England

LFF Stadium, Vilnius

Lithuania 1 - 2 Slovakia


Group E

Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica

Montenegro 4 - 1 Armenia

National Stadium (Narodowy), Warsaw

Poland 3 - 1 Romania


Group C

Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo

Norway 1 - 1 Czech Republic


NUREMBERG, Nuremberg

Germany 7 - 0 San Marino


11th June 2017 - 19:00 Local time

Group D

Zimbru, Chisinau

Moldova 2 - 2 Georgia

Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Republic of Ireland 1 - 1 Austria


Group I

Ratina Stadium (Tampere Stadium), Tampere

Finland 1 - 2 Ukraine

Laugardalsvollur, Reykjavik

Iceland 1 - 0 Croatia

Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

Kosovo 1 - 4 Turkey


Group G

Philip II of Macedon National Stadium, Skopje

FYR Macedonia 1 - 2 Spain

Dacia Arena, Udine

Italy 5 - 0 Liechtenstein

Haifa International Stadium, Haifa

Israel 0 - 3 Albania


Group D

FK Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade

Serbia 1 - 1 Wales


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Round 1

1st Sep 2017

Group E

Astana Arena, Astana

Kazakhstan 0 - 3 Montenegro

National Arena, Bucharest

Romania 1 - 0 Armenia

Telia Parken, Copenhagen

Denmark 4 - 0 Poland

Group C

San Marino Stadium, Serravalle

San Marino 0 - 3 Northern Ireland

Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo

Norway 2 - 0 Azerbaijan

Eden Arena, Prague

Czech Republic 1 - 2 Germany

Group F

LFF Stadium, Vilnius

Lithuania 0 - 3 Scotland

Ta'Qali National Stadium, Ta'Qali

Malta 0 - 4 England

Antona Malatinského, Trnava

Slovakia 1 - 0 Slovenia

2nd Sep 2017

Group G

Elbasan Arena, Elbasan

Albania 2 - 0 Liechtenstein

Group I

Ratina Stadium (Tampere Stadium), Tampere

Finland 1 - 0 Iceland

Group D

Partizan Stadium, Belgrade

Serbia 3 - 0 Moldova

Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

Georgia 1 - 1 Republic of Ireland

City Stadium, Cardiff

Wales 1 - 0 Austria

Group I

Metalist Stadium, Kharkov

Ukraine 2 - 0 Turkey

Group G

Haifa International Stadium, Haifa

Israel 0 - 1 FYR Macedonia

Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Spain 3 - 0 Italy

3rd Sep 2017

Group I

Maksimir, Zagreb

Croatia 1 - 0 Kosovo

Group H

A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn

Estonia 1 - 0 Cyprus

Group B

Torsvollur, Torshavn

Faroe Islands 1 - 0 Andorra

Group A

Borisov Arena, Borisov

Belarus 0 - 4 Sweden

Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam

Netherlands 3 - 1 Bulgaria

Stade de Toulouse, Toulouse

France 0 - 0 Luxembourg

Group B

Groupama Arena, Budapest

Hungary 0 - 1 Portugal

Skonto Stadium, Riga

Latvia 0 - 3 Switzerland

Group H

Estadio Algarve, Faro

Gibraltar 0 - 4 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Karaiskaki Stadium, Piraeus

Greece 1 - 2 Belgium

4th Sept 2017

Group C

Bakcell Arena, Baku

Azerbaijan 5 - 1 San Marino

Group E

Republican Stadium, Yerevan

Armenia 1 - 4 Denmark

Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica

Montenegro 1 - 0 Romania

National Stadium (Narodowy), Warsaw

Poland 3 - 0 Kazakhstan

Group C

Windsor Park, Belfast

Northern Ireland 2 - 0 Czech Republic

Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart

Germany 6 - 0 Norway

Group F

Wembley Stadium, London

England 2 - 1 Slovakia

Sportni Park Stozice, Ljubliana

Slovenia 4 - 0 Lithuania

Hampden Park, Glasgow

Scotland 2 - 0 Malta

5th Sept 2017

Group G

Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia

Italy 1 - 0 Israel

Rheinpark, Vaduz

Liechtenstein 0 - 8 Spain

Mladost, Strumica

FYR Macedonia 1 - 1 Albania

Group I

Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

Kosovo 0 - 1 Finland

New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir

Turkey 1 - 0 Croatia

Laugardalsvollur, Reykjavik

Iceland 2 - 0 Ukraine

Group D

Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Republic of Ireland 0 - 1 Serbia

Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna

Austria 1 - 1 Georgia

Zimbru, Chisinau

Moldova 0 - 2 Wales


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[White Lightning]

Round 1

5th Oct 2017

Group C

San Marino Stadium, Serravalle

San Marino 0 - 8 Norway

Windsor Park, Belfast

Northern Ireland 1 - 3 Germany

Group E

Ilie Oana, Ploiesti

Romania 3 - 1 Kazakhstan

Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica

Montenegro 0 - 1 Denmark

Group F

Hampden Park, Glasgow

Scotland 1 - 0 Slovakia

Ta'Qali National Stadium, Ta'Qali

Malta 1 - 1 Lithuania

Wembley Stadium, London

England 1 - 0 Slovenia

Group E

Republican Stadium, Yerevan

Armenia 1 - 6 Poland

Group C

National Stadium, Baku

Azerbaijan 1 - 2 Czech Republic

6th Oct 2017

Group G

Jose Rico Perez, Alicante

Spain 3 - 0 Albania

Stadio Olimpico, Turin

Italy 1 - 1 FYR Macedonia

Rheinpark, Vaduz

Liechtenstein 0 - 1 Israel

Group D

Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Republic of Ireland 2 - 0 Moldova

Group I

HNK Rijeka, Rijeka

Croatia 1 - 1 Finland

New Eskisehir Stadium, Eskisehir

Turkey 0 - 3 Iceland

Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

Kosovo 0 - 2 Ukraine

Group D

Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna

Austria 3 - 2 Serbia

Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi

Georgia 0 - 1 Wales

7th Oct 2017

Group H

Neo GSP Stadium, Nicosia

Cyprus 1 - 2 Greece

Group A

Borisov Arena, Borisov

Belarus 1 - 3 Netherlands

Group B

St. Jakob-Park, Basel

Switzerland 5 - 2 Hungary

Estadi Nacional, Andorra La Vella

Andorra 0 - 2 Portugal

Group A

Vasil Levski, Sofia

Bulgaria 0 - 1 France

Friends Arena, Solna

Sweden 8 - 0 Luxembourg

Group B

Torsvollur, Torshavn

Faroe Islands 0 - 0 Latvia

Group H

Grbavica, Sarajevo

Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 - 4 Belgium

Estadio Algarve, Faro

Gibraltar 0 - 6 Estonia

8th Oct 2017

Group C

Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern

Germany 5 - 1 Azerbaijan

Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo

Norway 1 - 0 Northern Ireland

Doosan Arena, Plzen

Czech Republic 5 - 0 San Marino

Group E

Telia Parken, Copenhagen

Denmark 1 - 1 Romania

Astana Arena, Astana

Kazakhstan 1 - 1 Armenia

National Stadium (Narodowy), Warsaw

Poland 4 - 2 Montenegro

Group F

City Arena, Trnava

Slovakia 3 - 0 Malta

LFF Stadium, Vilnius

Lithuania 0 - 1 England

Sportni Park Stozice, Ljubliana

Slovenia 2 - 2 Scotland

9th Oct 2017

Group G

Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem

Israel 0 - 1 Spain

Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

Albania 0 - 1 Italy

Mladost, Strumica

FYR Macedonia 4 - 0 Liechtenstein

Group D

FK Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade

Serbia 1 - 0 Georgia

City Stadium, Cardiff

Wales 0 - 1 Republic of Ireland

Zimbru, Chisinau

Moldova 0 - 1 Austria

Group I

Laugardalsvollur, Reykjavik

Iceland 2 - 0 Kosovo

Olympic National Sports Complex, Kyiv

Ukraine 0 - 2 Croatia

Veritas Stadium, Turku

Finland 2 - 2 Turkey

10th Oct 2017

Group A

Josy-Barthel, Luxembourg

Luxembourg 1 - 1 Bulgaria

Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam

Netherlands 2 - 0 Sweden

Group B

Estadio da Luz, Lisbon

Portugal 2 - 0 Switzerland

Skonto Stadium, Riga

Latvia 4 - 0 Andorra

Groupama Arena, Budapest

Hungary 1 - 0 Faroe Islands

Group A

Stade de France, Paris/Saint-Denis

France 2 - 1 Belarus

Group H

A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn

Estonia 1 - 2 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels

Belgium 4 - 0 Cyprus

Karaiskaki Stadium, Piraeus

Greece 4 - 0 Gibraltar


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[White Lightning]

Round 2

9th Nov 2017

Windsor Park, Belfast

Northern Ireland 0 - 1 Switzerland


Maksimir, Zagreb

Croatia 4 - 1 Greece

10th Nov 2017

Friends Arena, Solna

Sweden 1 - 0 Italy

11th Nov 2017

Telia Parken, Copenhagen

Denmark 0 - 0 Republic of Ireland

12th Nov 2017

Karaiskaki Stadium, Piraeus

Greece 0 - 0 Croatia

Croatia win on aggregate after regular time (1 - 4)

St. Jakob-Park, Basel

Switzerland 0 - 0 Northern Ireland

Switzerland win on aggregate after regular time (1 - 0)

13th Nov 2017

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan

Italy 0 - 0 Sweden

Sweden win on aggregate after regular time (0 - 1)

14th Nov 2017

Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Republic of Ireland 1 - 5 Denmark

Denmark win on aggregate after regular time (1 - 5)

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Qualified teams - Africa

Egypt

Morocco

Nigeria

Senegal

Tunisia

Qualified teams - Asia

Australia

Iran

Japan

Korea Republic

Saudi Arabia

Qualified teams - Europe

Belgium

Croatia

Denmark

England

France

Germany

Iceland

Poland

Portugal

Russia

Serbia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Qualified teams - North, Central America and Caribbean

Costa Rica

Mexico

Panama

Qualified teams - South America

Argentina

Brazil

Colombia

Peru

Uruguay

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The draw for the groups from those countries that have qualified for the World Cup held in Russia 2018 has been completed with the following outcome...

Group A

RUSSIA | SAUDI ARABIA | EGYPT | URUGUAY

After learning they would host the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ in December 2010, Russia finally learned their long-awaited opponents on 1st December 2017. Stanislav Cherchesov's side will take on Asia's Saudi Arabia, Africa's Egypt and South American nation Uruguay. 

The World Cup Opening Match is an event that football fans the world over eagerly tune-in to, marking the beginning of another exciting global finals. At Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, hosts Russia will take on Saudi Arabia in the eagerly-awaited curtain-raiser on 14th June 2018. The Saudis will be the first Asian team to take part in an Opening Match at the global finals.

• Russia 2018 will mark Egypt’s first World Cup since Italy 1990. Star man Mohamed Salah bagged the goal which sealed qualification to the global finals in dramatic fashion, as he converted a 94th-minute penalty against Congo to get the party started in Alexandria.
• Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad Al-Sahlawi netted 16 goals on the road to Russia. The 30-year-old frontman finished 2018 World Cup qualifying as joint-top scorer, along with Poland’s Robert Lewandowski and UAE’s Ahmed Khalil.
• Uruguay are two-time champions of the World Cup. La Celeste were inaugural winners of the tournament in 1930, before winning it a second time, at Brazil 1950. 

45 – The age that Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary will be when the Pharaohs take to the pitch at Russia 2018. Should he feature, El-Hadary would surpass Faryd Mondragon’s record as the World Cup’s oldest player. The Colombian goalkeeper set the current record when he appeared at Brazil 2014 at 43 years and three days.

Group B

PORTUGAL | SPAIN | MOROCCO | IR IRAN

After beating Italy to top spot in Europe’s Group G on the road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup™, Spain now face another stern test after being pitted against European heavyweights Portugal, as well as Africa's Morocco and Asia's IR Iran.

A mouth-watering tie in Sochi lies in store. You could hear the gasps at Moscow's State Kremlin Palace when these two European heavyweights – and neighbours – were drawn alongside each other in Group B. This is a game not to be missed. 

• Russia presents familiar territory for Portugal. As UEFA EURO 2016 winners, Portugal secured their berth to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Fernando Santos’s side defeated Mexico in the play-off for third place.
• IR Iran will be looking to Sardar Azmoun for goals. The 22-year-old striker, who plys his trade in Russia with Rubin Kazan, notched 11 goals in qualifying, the same number as Tim Cahill (Australia), Christian Eriksen (Denmark) and Romelu Lukaku (Belgium).
• Morocco topped a tightly-contested African zone Group C to secure qualification to Russia 2018, pipping Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon and Mali.

3 – Iran were the third team to book their place at the 2018 World Cup after hosts Russia and 2014 hosts Brazil.  

Group C

FRANCE | AUSTRALIA | PERU  | DENMARK 

Just like in 2014, France were placed in what appears, on paper at least, to be a favourable group during the Final Draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. Les Bleus will kick off their campaign against Australia and Peru, two teams they have never faced before at the World Cup finals, and finish off by locking horns with Denmark.

Denmark-France, this duel between two highly fancied European sides will likely be given top billing during the third round of games in Group C. The countries know each other well, having gone head-to-head on the World Cup stage on two previous occasions, both times in the final match of the group. On the road to their sole triumph in 1998, France secured a 2 - 1 victory, but in 2002 it was the Danes who emerged victorious, 2 - 0, when the reigning world champions flattered to deceive.

France and Peru have only ever faced each other once before, on 28 April 1982 at the Parc des Princes. In what served as a preparatory match for the forthcoming World Cup in Spain, Michel Platini and Co lost 1-0, with Juan Carlos Oblitas scoring for the South Americans in the 82nd minute. 
“Last time around, everyone said that it was a fantastic draw, even some of our players, but we’re not going to get through it just by clicking our fingers,” said Didier Deschamps after the Draw. The wily coach, who has a reputation for enjoying a little bit of luck during draws, was clearly keen to keep feet in the French camp firmly on the ground. He may have reason to do so, as according to the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking in November, Group C is in fact the most challenging pool of Russia 2018, featuring France (ninth), Australia (39th), Peru (11th) and Denmark (12th). 

3 – The number of World Cups in which Tim Cahill has found the back of the net. If he succeeds in scoring in Russia, the attack-minded Australian will enter an elite club, as only Uwe Seeler, Pele and Miroslav Klose have previously notched a goal in four different editions of the prestigious tournament.

Group D

ARGENTINA | ICELAND | CROATIA | NIGERIA

Group D looks likely to be one of the most fiercely-contested groups at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. It pits historic giants Argentina against two blossoming European sides in Croatia and Iceland, plus the ever-unpredictable Nigeria, who are sure to be a tough nut to crack.


Argentina-Croatia, the group's two strongest teams on paper will lock horns at a World Cup for the first time since 1998, when Argentina edged to a 1 - 0 win. The showdown between Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi and Ivan Rakitic is one of the many intriguing subplots to what will be just the second meeting between the two nations on the global stage, one which could prove pivotal in deciding who qualifies and claims top spot. With France potentially lurking in the Round of 16 for the group runners-up, there will be plenty on the line.

• Iceland and Croatia have met on six occasions in World Cup qualifying in the last eight years. The Croatians have the better of the head-to-head, with four wins from those games, but the Icelanders have the fonder memories of the most recent encounter, which they won 1-0 in June 2017.
• Nigeria and Iceland have only faced one another once before, with the Europeans easing to a 3-0 victory in a friendly in 1981.
• History will be made in two Group D fixtures: Argentina have never taken on Iceland before, while Croatia and Nigeria will also do battle for the first time.

4 - The number of times that Argentina and Nigeria have met in World Cup group action. La Albiceleste have triumphed in all four matches: 2 - 1 in 1994, 1 - 0 in 2002, 1 - 0 in 2010 and 3 - 2 in 2014.

Group E

BRAZIL | SWITZERLAND | COSTA RICA | SERBIA

After qualifying first from the always-difficult South American qualifying competition, five-time FIFA World Cup™ winners Brazil will now have designs on topping Group E at Russia 2018. To do so, however, they will need to get the better of Switzerland, Serbia and Costa Rica, one of the sensations of Brazil 2014.

Brazil-Switzerland, this meeting will be crucial to both sides' hopes of winning the section and, if history is anything to go by, avoiding reigning world champions Germany in the last 16. It promises to be an attractive encounter too, as Brazil pitch their enterprising, attack-minded brand of football against a Switzerland side that might lack the same offensive firepower but nevertheless boasts plenty of pace and a fondness for possession.

Though the Swiss had to take the play-off route to reach Russia, they amassed an impressive 27 points in Group B of the European qualifiers and only missed out on top spot to Portugal after losing 2 - 0 in Lisbon in their final match. The arrival of Tite as coach in June 2016 saw A Seleção rediscover their devastating form of old. By Matchday 8 Brazil had already jumped from fifth to second. Two games later they were on top of the group, where they stayed till the end.
Brazil, Switzerland and Serbia (competing as the former Yugoslavia) were all drawn in the same first-round group at Brazil 1950.

1 - After Russia, who qualified automatically as tournament hosts, Brazil were the first side to seal their place at Russia 2018, courtesy of their 3 - 0 defeat of Paraguay on 28 March 2017.

Group F

GERMANY | MEXICO | SWEDEN | KOREA REPUBLIC

This group features the most head-to-head history. You can call the Germans the ‘party spoilers’. Germany ended then-hosts Korea Republic’s Cinderella story in 2002 when Michael Ballack scored a late winner in Seoul in the semi-finals. Back in 1986, they knocked out hosts Mexico 4 - 1 in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals. Peculiarly in both editions, Germany finished as runners-up. The Germans also ended Mexico’s campaign in 1998 when two late goals from Jurgen Klinsmann and Oliver Bierhoff sealed a 2 - 1 comeback win in Montpellier. Sweden’s history against teams in this group goes all the way back to 1934, when they were defeated by Germany 2 - 1 in Italy. When they hosted in 1958, they beat Mexico 3 - 0 in the opening match and then Germany 3 - 1 in the semi-finals before losing to Brazil in the final.

Group G

BELGUIM | PANAMA | TUNISIA | ENGLAND

Any football fan will hope that Belgium and England serve up the kind of thriller they did all the way back in Basel in 1954. Their opening match in Group 4 ended 4 - 4 with three different players scoring braces. Their only other fixture at a World Cup came in 1990 when England edged Belgium 1 - 0 thanks to a 119th-minute winner from David Platt. If history is any indicator, we’ll have a thriller in Kaliningrad on 28th June 2018. 
Just like they did in 1998, England and Tunisia will play their opening match of the tournament against one another. Last time out in France, it was England who got the better of the Eagles of Carthage 2 - 0. Starting that afternoon in Marseille? Current England coach Gareth Southgate.

Group H

POLAND | SENEGAL | COLOMBIA | JAPAN

Japan and Colombia do not have to think back too far to their last meeting at a World Cup. The two sides played out an entertaining match in Cuiaba at Brazil 2014, with Los Cafeteros putting in a stylish display to win 4 - 1, as they marched on to the knockout round and sent Japan home. The Japanese get an immediate shot at revenge, though, as these two open Group H play in Russia.

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[White Lightning]

Group Phase

Thursday 14th June

Group A

Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

Russia 5 - 0 Saudi Arabia

Friday 15th June

Group A

Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg

Egypt 0 - 1 Uruguay

Group B

Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg

Morocco 0 - 1 IR Iran

Group B

Fisht Stadium, Sochi

Portugal 3 - 3 Spain


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[White Lightning]

Group Phase

Saturday 16th June

Group C

Kazan Arena, Kazan

France 2 - 1 Australia

Group D

Spartak Stadium, Moscow

Argentina 1 - 1 Iceland

Group C

Mordovia Arena, Saransk

Peru 0 - 1 Denmark

Group D

Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad

Croatia 2 - 0 Nigeria

WL

[White Lightning]

Group Phase

Sunday 17th June

Group E

Samara Arena, Samara

Costa Rica 0 - 1 Serbia

Group F

Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

Germany 0 - 1 Mexico

Group E

Rostov Arena, Rostov-On-Don

Brazil 1 - 1 Switzerland

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