| GROUP A | ||||
| ITV | 4pm | Thu 14-June | RUSSIA v SAUDI ARABIA | Moscow |
| BBC | 1pm | Fri 15-June | EGYPT v URUGUAY | Yekaterinburg |
| BBC | 7pm | Tue 19-June | RUSSIA v EGYPT | St Petersburg |
| BBC | 4pm | Wed 20-June | URUGUAY v SAUDI ARABIA | Rostov-on-Don |
| ITV | 3pm | Mon 25-June | URUGUAY v RUSSIA | Samara |
| ITV | 3pm | Mon 25-June | SAUDI ARABIA v EGYPT | Volgograd |
RUSSIA FIFA World ranking 70 Odds 40/1 @TeamRussia Squad
Coach Stanislav Cherchesov (since August 2016)
World Cup best Semi finals 1966
Last appearance Group stage 2014
Qualification Host nation
Recent form L0-1 v Austria, D1-1 v Turkey
In an ideal world, sport and politics would not mix - but it has of course been many eons since such a world existed if indeed it ever did. As such, World Cup 2018 in Russia can only ever be seen within the context of the whole event being held as a perfect propaganda exercise for president Vladimir Putin. With that in mind, it is odd then that home hopes are not particularly high - but then again, perhaps it is not so odd considering the Sbornaya have won only twice in the last 12 months. Now, as the lowest ranked side in the competition, the Russians have already been fortunate with the draw - and, in fact, their opening match against Saudi Arabia comes against the only other side at the tournament with a ranking outside of the top 61. It feels, though, as if it is going to take a lot more fortune yet for the Russians to make a big impact on the pitch - even if Putin ensures everything otherwise goes exactly to whatever he has planned.
Prediction: Last 16
SAUDI ARABIA FIFA World ranking 67 Odds 1000/1 @SaudiNT Squad
Coach Juan Antonio Pizzi (since November 2017)
World Cup best Last 16 in 1994
Last appearance Group stage 2006
Qualification Runners-up in AFC Group B (W6 D1 L3 F17 A10)
Recent form W2-0 v Algeria, W2-0 v Greece, L1-2 v Italy, L0-3 v Peru, L1-2 v Germany
Saudi Arabia always faced an uphill task regardless of which group they were given - but they have hardly helped themselves either. Argentina-born boss Juan Antonio Pizzi is the Green Falcons' third coach since they qualified last September - and the constant chopping and changing has destroyed any chance of tactical continuity or, indeed, even of team spirit being built among the players. Pizzi at least arrives with a winning reputation having secured the Copa America with Chile in 2016 - but, after that, he also oversaw the Chileans' surprise failure to qualify, and it is not as if the Saudis have too many players who are the same level of ability.
Prediction: Group stage
EGYPT FIFA World ranking 45 Odds 150/1 @Pharaohs Squad
Coach Héctor Cúper (since March 2015)
World Cup best First round/Group stage 1934, 1990
Last appearance Group stage 1990
Qualification Winners of CAF Group E (W4 D1 L1 F8 A4)
Recent form D1-1 v Kuwait, D0-0 v Colombia, W3-0 v Belgium
Egypt will be making their first World Cup appearance since 1990 - but, despite the lack of previous tournament experience in this squad, Pharaohs fans have genuine hope that they are not just in Russia to make up the numbers. Now, the Egyptians' optimism may or may not be misplaced - and that is all down to one man, Mo Salah. The Liverpool striker comes off an outstanding season in which he scored 44 goals in all competitions - so it is not difficult to imagine the shock (and indeed anger) in Egypt when he went down under a heavy challenge by Sergio Ramos in the Champions League final. Salah has still joined up with the squad and has confirmed he expects to play some part - but, if he does end up having any sort of fitness issues in Russia, it will be a hammer blow to the chances of the North Africans.
Prediction: Group stage
URUGUAY FIFA World ranking 14 Odds 25/1 @Uruguay Squad
Coach Óscar Tabárez (since March 2006)
World Cup best Winners 1930, 1950
Last appearance Last 16 in 2014
Qualification Runners-up in CONMEBOL (W9 D4 L5 F32 A20)
Recent form W3-0 v Uzbekistan
At last two-time former winners Uruguay did it the easy way. Following no fewer than four successive World Cup qualifying campaigns in which they have finished fifth and ended up in an intercontinental playoff, this time La Celeste made it through as runners-up behind runaway leaders Brazil. Now, as the only team in Group A ranked inside the top 20, the South Americans are clear favourites to win this section - even if main strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, and captain Diego Godin, have all ticked over to just the wrong side of 30. Suarez and Cavani - in particular - remain evergreen, however, and the latter finished as top scorer in South American qualifying with 10 goals, three ahead of a certain Lionel Messi.
Prediction: Quarter finals
| GROUP B | ||||
| ITV | 4pm | Fri 15-June | MOROCCO v IRAN | St Petersburg |
| BBC | 7pm | Fri 15-June | PORTUGAL v SPAIN | Sochi |
| BBC | 1pm | Wed 20-June | PORTUGAL v MOROCCO | Moscow |
| ITV | 7pm | Wed 20-June | IRAN v SPAIN | Kazan |
| BBC | 7pm | Mon 25-June | IRAN v PORTUGAL | Saransk |
| BBC | 7pm | Mon 25-June | SPAIN v MOROCCO | Kaliningrad |
PORTUGAL FIFA World ranking 4 Odds 22/1 @selecaoportugal Squad
Coach Fernando Santos (since September 2014)
World Cup best Semi finals 1966, 2006
Last appearance Group stage 2014
Qualification Winners of UEFA Group B (W9 D0 L1 F32 A4)
Recent form D2-2 v Tunisia, D0-0 v Belgium, W3-0 v Algeria
Portugal coach Fernando Santos has shied away from sentiment after opting to make a few changes from the squad which triumphed at Euro 2016 for this tournament. Lazio winger Nani, Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes, and Bayern Munich's Renato Sanches, who spent the season on loan at Swansea City, have all not made the cut - and nor has striker Eder who scored the extra time winner in the Final in Paris and shattered a glass ceiling which had plagued the Portuguese for so long. Of course, one man who was in no danger of missing out was talisman Cristiano Ronaldo - and, fresh from his third successive Champions League triumph with Real Madrid, he will once again skipper the side. Even now, aged 33, Ronaldo remains of critical importance to the Selecao, something which naturally he is not shy to show off - but, irritatingly for him, his total of 15 goals in European qualifying was narrowly beaten by Poland striker Robert Lewandowski. In fairness, among the fans, the Portuguese victory at Euro 2016 has not unduly raised expectations with most sensible people recognising that the success came at the end of a dour run featuring group stage draws, extra time, and penalties. Nevertheless, as a team ranked fourth in the world, Portugal will still expect to mix it with the big guns at the business end of the competition.
Prediction: Semi finals
SPAIN FIFA World ranking 10 Odds 13/2 @SeFutbol Squad
Coach Fernando Hierro (since June 2018)
World Cup best Winners 2010
Last appearance Group stage 2014
Qualification Winners of UEFA Group G (W9 D1 L0 F36 A3)
Recent form D1-1 v Switzerland, W1-0 v Tunisia
Spain sensationally sacked head coach Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the World Cup after Real Madrid yesterday announced he would succeed Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid at the end of the tournament. For Lopetegui, the end has come rather more quickly than he could have ever anticipated after the Spanish Football Association unsurprisingly took a dim view of him negotiating his move to the Bernabeu without their consent. Remarkably, Lopetegui leaves La Roja without having lost any of his 20 games - and, during his two-year tenure, he also did a decent job of revitalising a tired-looking squad with fresh talent. The likes of Isco and Marco Ascensio have almost seamlessly joined the experienced figures of Sergio Ramos, Andres Iniesta, David Silva, and Gerard Pique - and so temporary replacement Fernando Hierro still has plenty of options at his disposal. Now, though, the Spaniards' chances in Russia have effectively been left in the hands of the players - and, specifically, just how they will react to the frankly incredible news. At the time of writing, Euro 2016 champions Portugal lie in wait in less than 48 hours - and so it is not even as if there is a lot of time for them to be able to process their thoughts. In short, the whole thing feels like it is a complete mess, and it is difficult to envisage the rest of the campaign going smoothly after the last couple of days.
Prediction: Group stage
MOROCCO FIFA World ranking 41 Odds 400/1 @FRMFOFFICIEL Squad
Coach Hervé Renard (since February 2016)
World Cup best Last 16 in 1986
Last appearance Group stage 1998
Qualification Winners of CAF Group C (W3 D3 L0 F11 A0)
Recent form D0-0 v Ukraine, W2-1 v Slovakia, W3-1 v Estonia
It almost does not seem fair. Having managed to qualify for a first World Cup finals in 20 years, Morocco landed both of the European powerhouses from just across the Strait of Gibraltar, leaving their chances of progress to knockout stage firmly in the category of slim. Unsurprisingly, that is not the message which has been coming from French coach Herve Renard - and, to his credit, the unbeaten Atlas Lions were convincing qualifiers ahead of Ivory Coast. Indeed, the Moroccans did not concede a single goal in their final qualifying group - and the feel-good factor has returned to their football to such an extent that the national team has returned to playing its home matches in its primary city, Casablanca, for the first time in seven years. Previously, the Atlas Lions had chosen instead to play in a quieter venue in Marrakesh in order to avoid negative crowd reactions - but gladly there is no need to do that anymore. Nevertheless, the North Africans really could not have asked for a much tougher task in Russia.
Prediction: Group stageIRAN FIFA World ranking 37 Odds 750/1 @TeamMelliIran Squad
Coach Carlos Queiroz (since April 2011)
World Cup best Group stage 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014
Last appearance Group stage 2014
Qualification Winners of AFC Group A (W6 D4 L0 F10 A2)
Recent form W1-0 v Uzbekistan, L1-2 v Turkey, W1-0 v Lithuania
Iran have been the top-ranked Asian team for five years now - and Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz has taken the country to back-to-back World Cup for the first time in history. Team Melli, indeed, made light work of their final qualifying group - they finished unbeaten, conceded just twice in 10 games, and were the third team overall to seal their spot in the finals after Russia and Brazil. Queiroz has been in charge of Iran for the past seven years and, as such, there is a strong connection between himself and the players. The team has long had a solid, reliable defence but this has now been augmented by the emergence of exciting forward players Mehdi Taremi and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, as well as Sardar Azmoun who can expect to receive good backing from his club supporters in Kazan in the Iranians' second match against Spain. Before then, though, a winning start against Morocco will be essential if Iran are intent on making more history this summer by reaching the knockout stages for the first time.
Prediction: Last 16
| GROUP C | ||||
| BBC | 11am | Sat 16-June | FRANCE v AUSTRALIA | Kazan |
| BBC | 5pm | Sat 16-June | PERU v DENMARK | Saransk |
| ITV | 1pm | Thu 21-June | FRANCE v PERU | Yekaterinburg |
| ITV | 4pm | Thu 21-June | DENMARK v AUSTRALIA | Samara |
| ITV | 3pm | Tue 26-June | DENMARK v FRANCE | Moscow |
| ITV | 3pm | Tue 26-June | AUSTRALIA v PERU | Sochi |
FRANCE FIFA World ranking 7 Odds 6/1 @equipedefrance Squad
Coach Didier Deschamps (since July 2012)
World Cup best Winners 1998
Last appearance Quarter finals 2014
Qualification Winners of UEFA Group A (W7 D2 L1 F18 A6)
Recent form W2-0 v Ireland, W3-1 v Italy, D1-1 v United States
For the last few tournaments - or at least since their dismal failure in South Africa in 2010 - France have appeared to be a work in progress. At Euro 2012, Les Bleus finished second in the group before a meek defeat to eventual winners Spain in the quarter finals, and - although, in 2014, France topped their group, a similar quarter final fate then awaited them against eventual winners Germany. Their home tournament two summers ago brought a clear step in the right direction as a first finals win over the Germans in 58 years took Didier Deschamps's men into the Final. The subsequent defeat in the Stade de France to Portugal hurt - but a favourable draw in these finals means the French again should have little trouble reaching the latter stages with a fair wind behind them.
Prediction: Semi finals
AUSTRALIA FIFA World ranking 36 Odds 1000/1 @Socceroos Squad
Coach Bert van Marwijk (since January 2018)
World Cup best Last 16 in 2006
Last appearance Group stage in 2014
Qualification Won 3-2 on aggregate in playoff v Syria (1-1a, 2-1h aet) after finishing in third place in AFC Group B (W5 D4 L1 F16 A11)
Recent form W4-0 v Czech Republic, W2-1 v Hungary
There has been plenty of upheaval in Australian soccer in the last eight months after much-criticised head coach Ange Postecoglou quit following a qualifying campaign which was torturous and unconvincing, though ultimately successful. Graham Arnold will eventually take over in the role - but, rather messily, not until Dutchman Bert van Marwijk completes his short spell in charge at this tournament. Of course, four years ago, the Aussies were given the near-impossible task of progressing from a group also featuring Netherlands, Chile, and Spain - and they duly lost all three games. This time, the Socceroos can at least then expect to be more competitive - but, as the lowest ranked team of the Group C quartet by far, a place in the knockout stages would still count as a surprise.
Prediction: Group stage
PERU FIFA World ranking 11 Odds 150/1 @SeleccionPeru Squad
Coach Ricardo Gareca (since February 2015)
World Cup best Quarter finals 1970
Last appearance Group stage 1982
Qualification Won 2-0 on aggregate in playoff v New Zealand (0-0a, 2-0h) after finishing in fifth place in CONMEBOL (W7 D5 L6 F27 A26)
Recent form W2-0 v Scotland, W3-0 v Saudi Arabia, D0-0 v Sweden
Peru were the last of the 32 participants to qualify for the World Cup - beating New Zealand over two legs in an intercontinental playoff, having finished in fifth place in the marathon South America qualifying tournament. Everything now, though, seems to be falling into place for La Blanquirroja ahead of their first finals appearance since 1982. Indeed, the Peruvians are up to 11th in the world courtesy of a 15-match unbeaten run which stretches back over 18 months - and, certainly, there will be few more confident sides heading to Russia. In even better news for coach Ricardo Gareca, all-time record top scorer Paolo Guerrero has been cleared to play having previously been banned for testing positive for cocaine.
Prediction: Last 16
DENMARK FIFA World ranking 12 Odds 80/1 @DBUfodbold Squad
Coach Åge Hareide (since March 2016)
World Cup best Quarter finals 1998
Last appearance Group stage 2010
Qualification Won 5-1 on aggregate in playoff v Greece (0-0h, 5-1a) after finishing runners-up in UEFA Group E (W6 D2 L2 F20 A8)
Recent form D0-0 v Sweden, W2-0 v Mexico
Åge Hareide's Denmark can be a really dangerous side on their day as Poland know and Ireland found to their cost in the qualifiers. Christian Eriksen scored a hat-trick as the Danes hammered five goals past the Irish in the playoffs in Dublin, and he was also on target two months earlier when the Danish Dynamite beat eventual group winners Poland 4-0. Eriksen, indeed, finished up with 11 qualifying goals in all with only Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo scoring more in Europe. Therefore it should come as no surprise that most of the Danes' play unashamedly runs through the talented Tottenham Hotspur midfielder. Stronger opponents also know, however, that by nullifying him, the Danish threat is hugely reduced.
Prediction: Group stage
| GROUP D | ||||
| ITV | 2pm | Sat 16-June | ARGENTINA v ICELAND | Moscow |
| ITV | 8pm | Sat 16-June | CROATIA v NIGERIA | Kaliningrad |
| BBC | 7pm | Thu 21-June | ARGENTINA v CROATIA | Nizhny Novgorod |
| BBC | 4pm | Fri 22-June | NIGERIA v ICELAND | Volgograd |
| BBC | 7pm | Tue 26-June | NIGERIA v ARGENTINA | St Petersburg |
| BBC | 7pm | Tue 26-June | ICELAND v CROATIA | Rostov-on-Don |
ARGENTINA FIFA World ranking 5 Odds 9/1 @Argentina Squad
Coach Jorge Sampaoli (since June 2017)
World Cup best Winners 1978, 1986
Last appearance Runners-up 2014
Qualification Third place in CONMEBOL (W7 D7 L4 F19 A16)
Recent form W4-0 v Haiti
Argentina remain an enigma - they are blessed with such a level of attacking talent that they can opt to omit Serie A top scorer Mario Icardi of Internazionale. And yet it could easily have been the case that no Argentinian players would be heading to the World Cup if it had not have been for intervention of superstar Lionel Messi. Requiring victory in their final qualifying match at high altitude away in Quito against Ecuador, it looked as if La Albiceleste might miss out on a first finals appearance since 1970 especially after 38 seconds of the game when the Ecuadorians took the lead. As if a script had been written, however, Barcelona forward Messi saved the day with his first ever hat-trick in a World Cup qualifier. Nevertheless, since then, the same tendency to collapse has not been eliminated as shown in recent international games against Nigeria and Spain in which Jorge Sampaoli's men conceded four and six respectively. And so, while Messi might be able to weave more magic to drag the Argentines into the knockouts, it seems the Rosario-born maestro will not get to add the World Cup trophy to his glittering collection - unless there is a sharp improvement in the team's defending.
Prediction: Quarter finals
ICELAND FIFA World ranking 22 Odds 150/1 @footballiceland Squad
Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson (since November 2013)
World Cup best Never previous qualified
Last appearance N/A
Qualification Winners of UEFA Group I (W7 D1 L2 F16 A7)
Recent form L2-3 v Norway, D2-2 v Ghana
Iceland - with only 340,000 inhabitants - will be by far the smallest nation in terms of population ever to play in the World Cup finals after sealing back-to-back successful qualification campaigns with a straightforward 2-0 win over Kosovo in October amid wild celebrations in Reykjavik. Previously considered as minnows, the Icelanders stunned the football world two years ago en route to the quarter finals at Euro 2016 by knocking out England through goals from Ragnar Sigurdsson's and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. Now, Heimir Hallgrimsson's men have made it through to the biggest stage of all, and they are desperate to show their success in France was not just a flash in the pan. Fortunately, in Argentina, Iceland could not possibly have picked a flakier seed, while neither Croatia nor the lower-ranked Nigeria will be giving this squad sleepless nights. Another possible advantage for Iceland is that, despite their small population, they will undoubtedly be well-backed in Russia by their supporters club Tólfan - remarkably, over 66,000 fans applied for tickets so get ready for a reprise of the now much-imitated Viking clap.
Prediction: Last 16
CROATIA FIFA World ranking 20 Odds 33/1 @HNS_CFF Squad
Coach Zlatko Dalić (since October 2017)
World Cup best Semi finals 1998
Last appearance Group stage 2014
Qualification Won 4-1 on aggregate in playoff v Greece (4-1h, 0-0a) after finishing runners-up in UEFA Group I (W6 D2 L2 F15 A4)
Recent form L0-2 v Brazil, W2-1 v Senegal
Croatia undoubtedly have their most talented team since the Vatreni burst onto the international scene and reached the semi finals at their first World Cup in 1998. Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Ivan Rakitic, and Mario Mandzukic all play for big clubs in Spain and Italy - but the Croatians still made life hard for themselves in the qualifiers. They scraped into the playoffs behind fellow Group D opponents Iceland having hurriedly changed their head coach before their vital last group game against Ukraine. Meanwhile, the struggles of the national team have done nothing to lift a mood which threatens to engulf Croatian football with many fans aggressively opposed to what they see as a corrupt federation. Even former star striker Davor Suker has come under fire for having allegedly gained his post of federation president illegally - while, in terms of the players still on the pitch, Modric and Liverpool centre-back Dejan Lovren face perjury charges, with both accused of having given a false testimony in a fraud trial which has been brought against Zdravko Mamic, a former director at Dinamo Zagreb.
Prediction: Group stageNIGERIA FIFA World ranking 48 Odds 150/1 @NGSuperEagles Squad
Coach Gernot Rohr (since August 2016)
World Cup best Last 16 in 1994, 1998, 2014
Last appearance Last 16 in 2014
Qualification Winners of CAF Group B (W4 D1 L1 F11 A6)
Recent form L1-2 v England, L0-1 v Czech Republic
Nigeria may have the snazziest World Cup kit this time but it appears unlikely that the team will be able to match its storming success. German coach Gernot Rohr has been an unconvincing and unpopular appointment having hardly set the world alight in his previous roles at luminaries such as Gabon, Niger, and Burkina Faso though, in fairness, the Nigerians did well to reach Russia, emerging from a qualifying group which also featured Zambia, Cameroon, and Algeria. Moreover, the Super Eagles have actually got some attacking flare with Victor Moses, Wilfred Ndidi, and Alex Iwobi all capable of getting the crowd out of their seats. But the defence still remains suspect to making too many basic errors - and this will likely mean that, ultimately, the sold out shirts are only thing which anyone will remember about this campaign.
Prediction: Group stage
| GROUP E | ||||
| ITV | 1pm | Sun 17-June | COSTA RICA v SERBIA | Samara |
| ITV | 7pm | Sun 17-June | BRAZIL v SWITZERLAND | Rostov-on-Don |
| ITV | 1pm | Fri 22-June | BRAZIL v COSTA RICA | St Petersburg |
| BBC | 7pm | Fri 22-June | SERBIA v SWITZERLAND | Kaliningrad |
| ITV | 7pm | Wed 27-June | SERBIA v BRAZIL | Moscow |
| ITV | 7pm | Wed 27-June | SWITZERLAND v COSTA RICA | Nizhny Novgorod |
BRAZIL FIFA World ranking 2 Odds 4/1F @CBF_Futebol Squad
Coach Tite (since June 2016)
World Cup best Winners 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
Last appearance Semi finals 2014
Qualification Winners of CONMEBOL (W12 D5 L1 F41 A11)
Recent form W2-0 v Croatia, W3-0 v Austria
No matter how hard they try to forget about the disaster in Belo Horizonte four years ago, the 7-1 home semi final defeat to Germany still haunts Brazil. The Selecao undoubtedly lost a bit of magic that night and, even two years down the line, no discernible progress had been made following the questionable decision to reappoint Dunga as coach. Six games into the qualification campaign, Brazil lay in sixth place and were still playing without any sort of confidence - and then, to make matters worse, they were eliminated at the quarter final stage of the Copa America Centenario by Peru. Unsurprisingly, Dunga was hastily dumped for a second time, and in came Tite with the national team at a crossroads. Threatened with a failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time ever, Tite has done a remarkable job to turn the tide as 10 wins and two draws in the last 12 qualifiers sent Brazil well clear at the top of the all-in-one group. Brazil, in fact, ended up being the first team outside of Russia to seal their place in the finals - and they have now regained their traditional spot as one of the favourites for the whole competition. In this respect, the Brazilians have two advantages over 2014 - firstly, key players such as Neymar, Philippe Coutinho, and skipper Thiago Silva are a little older and wiser, and secondly there will not be the devastating pressure which ultimately had a paralysing effect on the team at home.
Prediction: Winners
Prediction: Winners
SWITZERLAND FIFA World ranking 6 Odds 100/1 @SFV_ASF Squad
Coach Vladimir Petković (since July 2014)
World Cup best Quarter finals 1934, 1938, 1954
Last appearance Last 16 in 2014
Qualification Won 1-0 on aggregate in playoff v Northern Ireland (1-0a, 0-0h) after finishing runners-up in UEFA Group B (W9 D0 L1 F23 A7)
Recent form D1-1 v Spain, W2-0 v Japan
As usual, Switzerland will be solid, dependable - and, most likely, pretty dull to watch. Yet the Swiss have now climbed to sixth place in the rankings - although that is largely down to their clever manipulation of a system in which, bizarrely, it is sometimes better not to play a non-competitive international than play and win one against a lower ranked side. In fairness to them, Nati fans will also ascribe their lofty position to the fact that they won their first nine games in qualifying - but they were nevertheless still consigned to the playoffs on goal difference after Portugal matched their record by beating them in Lisbon on the last day of the group stage. If that was rather unfortunate, then the luck undoubtedly turned in their favour in the playoff as they beat Northern Ireland 1-0 over two legs thanks only to a ridiculous penalty decision in Belfast. Certainly, in those two matches, Switzerland did not look like the sixth-best team in the world.
Prediction: Group stage
COSTA RICA FIFA World ranking 23 Odds 250/1 @fedefutbolcrc Squad
Coach Óscar Ramírez (since August 2015)
World Cup best Quarter finals 2014
Last appearance Quarter finals 2014
Qualification Runners-up in CONCACAF (W4 D4 L2 F14 A8)
Recent form W3-0 v Northern Ireland, L0-2 v England, L1-4 v Belgium
Four years on from their shock run to the quarter finals, Costa Rica are back to try and enact some more upsets. Once again, though, it will not be easy - and, despite having got the better of Uruguay, Italy, and England in 2014, the seeds in this group - Brazil - are a different matter. Brazil last failed to top a group stage back in 1978 and they can also expect to dominate this section, meaning this time Los Ticos realistically only have one spot from which they can progress to the knockout stages. Oscar Ramirez's men know they will likely need to be at their best but that presents another problem, particularly up front, where both main strikers Joel Campbell and Brian Ruiz have spent lengthy spells on the sidelines with injuries. In better news, goalkeeper Keylor Navas remains a class act - and, having enjoyed another fine season at Champions League-winning Real Madrid, he could yet keep the Costa Ricans in with a shout of grabbing that place in the last 16.
Prediction: Group stage
SERBIA FIFA World ranking 34 Odds 150/1 @FSSrbije Squad
Coach Mladen Krstajić (since October 2017)
World Cup best Semi finals 1930, 1962
Last appearance Group stage 2010
Qualification Winners of UEFA Group D (W6 D3 L1 F20 A10)
Recent form L0-1 v Chile, W5-1 v Bolivia
Serbia head off to "fraternal Russia" in unexpectedly buoyant mood following a 5-1 thrashing of Bolivia in their final warm-up match. Newcastle United striker Aleksandar Mitrovic continued his excellent form with a hat-trick to make it 17 goals in 22 games for club and country in the 2018 calendar year. Until recently, Mitro had been very hit-and-miss in front of goal - but regular football during his loan move to Championship side Fulham appears to have done wonders for his confidence, and he was indeed perhaps the biggest factor in the Cottagers earning promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs. Serbia then should carry a threat as they look to get beyond the first round of a World Cup for the first time since 1998 when they still played under the name of Yugoslavia - but, away from Mitrovic's annus miribalis, the Eagles have not exactly prepared in ideal fashion. Despite having overseen a successful qualifying campaign, coach Slavoljub Muslin was dumped in favour of Mladen Krstajic - and his first move was to name Aleksandar Kolorov as captain in place of Branislav Ivanovic. Both, of course, have still made it into the final squad which also features Nemanja Matic, Luka Milivojevic, and Dusan Tadic among a talented selection of midfielders.
Prediction: Last 16
| GROUP F | ||||
| BBC | 4pm | Sun 17-June | GERMANY v MEXICO | Moscow |
| ITV | 1pm | Mon 18-June | SWEDEN v SOUTH KOREA | Nizhny Novgorod |
| ITV | 4pm | Sat 23-June | GERMANY v SWEDEN | Sochi |
| ITV | 7pm | Sat 23-June | SOUTH KOREA v MEXICO | Rostov-on-Don |
| BBC | 3pm | Wed 27-June | SOUTH KOREA v GERMANY | Kazan |
| BBC | 3pm | Wed 27-June | MEXICO v SWEDEN | Yekaterinburg |
GERMANY FIFA World ranking 1 Odds 9/2 @DFB_Team_EN Squad
Coach Joachim Löw (since July 2006)
World Cup best Winners 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014
Last appearance Winners 2014
Qualification Winners of UEFA Group C (W10 D0 L0 F43 A4)
Recent form L1-2 v Austria, W2-1 v Saudi Arabia
Germany always expects as is becoming of a nation for which anything short of a semi final place can only be considered a failure. While that might sound conceited, it is also perfectly understandable given that the defending champions have made the semi finals at least of every major tournament since 2004, and last failed to make it into at least the last four at a World Cup back in 1998. Head coach Joachim Löw has now been in charge for the majority of that time - and yet his appetite for the job clearly remains undiminished if his recent contract extension to 2022 is anything to go by. Then again, why wouldn't Löw want to continue given that there is now a fresh generation of Germans who want to show that they too can be the best in the world? After all, Germany essentially played a second string line-up at the Confederations Cup last year - and still won - and their squad depth was emphasised again on selection day when Leroy Sané and World Cup Final goalscorer Mario Gotze both surprisingly missed out. Rather than individual players, however, the German focus is constantly on the team as a whole, something which an internet meme four years ago neatly illustrated. It read that, while Argentina, Brazil and Portugal have Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Cristiano Ronaldo, Germany has a team - and, on that basis, it genuinely seems that the only thing which could in any way derail the Nationalmannschaft from their almost customary semi final slot would be a widespread dose of complacency.
Prediction: Runners-up
MEXICO FIFA World ranking 15 Odds 80/1 @miseleccionmxEN Squad
Coach Juan Carlos Osorio (since October 2015)
World Cup best Quarter finals 1970, 1986
Last appearance Last 16 in 2014
Qualification Winners of CONCACAF (W6 D3 L1 F16 A7)
Recent form 0-0 v Wales, W1-0 v Scotland, L0-2 v Denmark
For Mexicans, the concept of quinto partido - the fifth game - has become something of a national obsession in this football-mad country, and it is not hard to see why. Mexico have been knocked out at the Last 16 stage of the World Cup for the last six tournaments, a sequence which stretches all of the way back to USA 94 - and, four years ago, their defeat to two late Netherlands goals was particularly hard to take. This time, if anything, their route to the quarter finals looks even more daunting - El Tri face defending champions Germany in their opening game, and the runners-up in Group F are likely to be rewarded with a knockout tie against Brazil. That does not bode well for Mexico who appear to have a mental block against the strongest international sides, something which was neatly demonstrated at the Confederations Cup last year when they lost 4-1 to a second-string German team and then lost again to late goals against Portugal in the third-place playoff. Frustratingly, the talent of the likes of Javier Hernandez and Rafael Marquez is not in doubt - but skipper Marquez, who is appearing at a joint-record fifth finals, knows better than anyone about this fifth game problem, and - as something of a self-fulfilling prophecy - it is not a riddle which looks as if it is going to be solved anytime soon.
Prediction: Last 16
SWEDEN FIFA World ranking 24 Odds 80/1 Squad
Coach Janne Andersson (since June 2016)
World Cup best Runners-up 1958
Last appearance Last 16 in 2006
Qualification Won 1-0 on aggregate in playoff v Italy (1-0h, 0-0a) after finishing runners-up in UEFA Group A (W6 D1 L3 F26 A9)
Recent form D0-0 v Denmark, D0-0 v Peru
Traditionally, the strongest Sweden teams are better than the sum of their parts - and this particular incarnation definitely ticks all of the right boxes in that respect. Shorn of their retired superstar striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Blue-Yellows nevertheless finished ahead of the Netherlands on goal difference in qualifying, meaning the Dutch have now failed to make it to the finals for the last two tournaments in a row. That, for Sweden, was enough for a playoff spot behind France - and it then got even better for the Scandinavians as they shut out Italy to qualify for a first World Cup finals since 2006. Midfielder Jakob Johansson was the hero scorer as he got the vital touch to a scrambled winner in Solna in a 1-0 aggregate victory. In the absence of former talisman Ibrahimovic, though, there are seriously big concerns over just how big a threat can be carried by Janne Andersson's men - and those worries have only been increased further after both of the Swedes' warm-up games finished 0-0.
Prediction: Group stageSOUTH KOREA FIFA World ranking 57 Odds 250/1 @theKFA Squad
Coach Shin Tae-Yong (since June 2017)
World Cup best Semi finals 2002
Last appearance Group stage 2014
Qualification Runner-up in AFC Group A (W4 D3 L3 F11 A10)
Recent form W2-0 v Honduras, L1-3 v Bosnia-Herzegovina, D0-0 v Bolivia
A whole generation has passed now since South Korea memorably reached the semi finals at their home World Cup in 2002 - but, in that time, the Taegeuk Warriors have shown no signs of being able to put in a repeat performance. The Koreans have won just twice in the intervening period - against Togo in 2006 and Greece in 2010 when at least they made it into the Last 16. Four years ago, in Brazil, South Korea were well short of the required standard, bowing out of the tournament in a 4-2 defeat to Algeria - but, if anything, the team is even worse shape heading into this edition. In their final qualifying group, the Koreans scored just two away goals (both in the same tie, a 3-2 defeat to Qatar) and won just two points on the road in 0-0 draws to scrape into the runners-up spot ahead of Syria. Unsurprisingly, the poor results cost German coach Uli Stielike his job last summer but his replacement - the home-grown Shin Tae-yong - has struggled for consistency as well. Of course, fans of English (and Welsh) football will be well-versed in the delights of Ki Sung-yeung and the dangerous Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min. It is at the back, though, where the big weaknesses lie.
Prediction: Group stage
| GROUP G | ||||
| BBC | 4pm | Mon 18-June | BELGIUM v PANAMA | Sochi |
| BBC | 7pm | Mon 18-June | TUNISIA v ENGLAND | Volgograd |
| BBC | 1pm | Sat 23-June | BELGIUM v TUNISIA | Moscow |
| BBC | 1pm | Sun 24-June | ENGLAND v PANAMA | Nizhny Novgorod |
| ITV | 7pm | Thu 28-June | ENGLAND v BELGIUM | Kaliningrad |
| ITV | 7pm | Thu 28-June | PANAMA v TUNISIA | Saransk |
BELGIUM FIFA World ranking 3 Odds 10/1 @BelRedDevils Squad
Coach Roberto Martínez (since August 2016)
World Cup best Semi finals 1986
Last appearance Quarter finals 2014
Qualification Winners of UEFA Group H (W9 D1 L0 F43 A6)
Recent form D0-0 v Portugal, W3-0 v Egypt, W4-1 v Costa Rica
These are heady times for Belgium, or at least they should be - ranked third, Roberto Martinez's men have been seeded for the second World Cup in a row, above England, something perhaps best reflected by the fact the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, and Romelu Lukaku are among the best players currently plying their trade in the Premier League. Doubts remain, though, over just how deep the Diables Rouges can go in this competition - and those doubts stem directly from the disappointment of two years ago at Euro 2016 when the Belgians lost to Italy in the group stage before tumbling out against Wales in the quarter finals. Coach Martinez has taken the slightly unusual step of actually acknowledging his team has a mental barrier which they must overcome if they are to succeed this summer - he knows talent alone will not be enough. Of course, it helps though - and Belgium's big players have all looked in good form in what admittedly ended up being stat-padding warm-up wins over Saudi Arabia (4-0), Egypt (3-0), and Costa Rica (4-1). The real pressure has yet to come, however - and there is a feeling that it really is now or never for this golden generation.
Prediction: Quarter finalsPANAMA FIFA World ranking 55 Odds 1000/1 @fepafut Squad
Coach Hernán Darío Gómez (since February 2014)
World Cup best Never previously qualified
Last appearance N/A
Qualification Third place in CONCACAF (W3 D4 L3 F9 A10)
Recent form D0-0 v Northern Ireland, L0-1 v Norway
Shock debutants Panama have surely already exceeded their original World Cup goal simply by qualifying for Russia in the first place. If that sounds slightly crass and patronising then consider the fact that Los Canaleros made it through their 10-match final qualifying section with a negative goal difference, and suffered as many defeats - three - as they enjoyed victories. For sure, Panama must be one of the weakest teams ever to have made it to the finals - and their odds of 11/1 just to progress to the knockout phase are probably actually too short. Their outright price of 1000/1 is more in the right ball park for, while it is always dangerous to read too much into warm-up matches, they have not gone particularly well. In March, the Panamanians lost 6-0 to Switzerland and, most recently, they managed just one shot on target as they were beaten 1-0 in Norway. Of course, nothing at all should detract from the magnificent achievement of Hernan Dario Gomez and his squad in having reached these finals in Russia. At the same time, however, it is difficult not to predict they are on anything but a hiding to nothing.
Prediction: Group stage
TUNISIA FIFA World ranking 21 Odds 500/1 Squad
Coach Nabil Maâloul (since April 2017)
World Cup best Group stage 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006
Last appearance Group stage 2006
Qualification Winners of CAF Group A (W4 D2 L0 F11 A4)
Recent form D2-2 v Portugal, D2-2 v Turkey, D0-1 v Spain
Tunisia were the first African team ever to win a match at a World Cup finals when they beat Mexico 3-1 in their first match back in 1978. Ever since then, though, the Eagles of Carthage have made 11 further attempts to add a second victory - and all of them have been fruitless endeavours. Of course, the presence of complete outsiders Panama provides a strong chance of that dismal sequence being brought to an end - but, having failed to qualify since 2006, it should be noted that none of the Tunisia players has previously been to a World Cup either. Meanwhile, the best laid plans of coach Nabil Maaloul have been ruined after his best player, Youssef Msakni, was ruled out having suffered a cruciate knee injury in March. Yes, Msakni's absence is expected to be keenly felt by the Tunisians as goals - which were already likely to be at a premium - could be even more difficult to come by now.
Prediction: Group stage
ENGLAND FIFA World ranking 12 Odds 14/1 @England Squad
Coach Gareth Southgate (since September 2016)
World Cup best Winners 1966
Last appearance Group stage 2014
Qualification Winners of UEFA Group F (W8 D2 L0 F18 A3)
Recent form W2-1 v Nigeria, W2-0 v Costa Rica
It has been a turbulent two years for English football since Roy Hodgson's reign came to an inglorious end with that defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016. Greedy Sam Allardyce came and left inside 67 days - and Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate simply seemed to find himself in the right place at the right time, taking on the role temporarily at first before being awarded a four-year contract in November 2016. As usual, England breezed through qualifying with the only dropped points coming games against Slovenia (0-0) in Ljubljana and Scotland (2-2) at Hampden Park where Leigh Griffiths effectively ended goalkeeper Joe Hart's international career. Southgate, to his credit, has not been afraid to make some big calls like that and appears to have developed at least some sort of basic plan involving the use of wing-backs. Certainly there is more pace and width in the team than there was two years ago but concerns remain about a lack of creativity from the centre of midfield and their tendency to move the ball forward far too slowly. Now, of course, we have all been here before - remember the EASY headlines in the newspapers after the 2010 draw. Surely though, the Three Lions should have enough to progress ahead of Tunisia and Panama before still being able to give Belgium a game. Even, the four potential Last 16 opponents - Poland, Colombia, Senegal, or Japan - are not the most frightening of prospects, and so England at the top of their game could yet win a first knockout match since 2006.
Prediction: Quarter finals
| GROUP H | ||||
| BBC | 1pm | Tue 19-June | POLAND v SENEGAL | Moscow |
| ITV | 4pm | Tue 19-June | COLOMBIA v JAPAN | Saransk |
| BBC | 4pm | Sun 24-June | JAPAN v SENEGAL | Yekaterinburg |
| ITV | 7pm | Sun 24-June | POLAND v COLOMBIA | Kazan |
| BBC | 3pm | Thu 28-June | JAPAN v POLAND | Volgograd |
| BBC | 3pm | Thu 28-June | SENEGAL v COLOMBIA | Samara |
POLAND FIFA World ranking 8 Odds 40/1 @pzpn_pl Squad
Coach Adam Nawałka (since October 2013)
World Cup best Semi finals 1974, 1982
Last appearance Group stage 2006
Qualification Winners of UEFA Group E (W8 D1 L1 F28 A14)
Recent form D2-2 v Chile, W4-0 v Lithuania
It might not sound much - but the fact that Poland made it all the way to the quarter finals two years ago at Euro 2016 represented some real progress at last. Before then, their two previous appearances at the European Championships, in 2008 and 2012, had ended in exactly the same way as their two most recent World Cup campaigns in 2002 and 2006 - with an exit at the group stage. However, Poland have proven themselves to be a better side than that now, although it must be said their improvement has been mainly down to one factor - striker Robert Lewandowski. No one scored more goals in qualifying than the Bayern Munich man - and, aged 29, he has now reached the prime of his career. Unfortunately, though, that is not something which can be said of many of his team mates - and, with eight of the 20 outfield players in the squad aged 30 or over, Adam Nawalka's team will be one of the oldest at the tournament. Poland - ranked eighth and seeded - should really be looking to breeze through this this group - but, for now, history still suggests the Bialo-Czerwoni will not make life easy for themselves.
Prediction: Last 16
SENEGAL FIFA World ranking 27 Odds 125/1 @FootballSenegal Squad
Coach Aliou Cissé (since March 2015)
World Cup best Quarter finals 2002
Last appearance Quarter finals 2002
Qualification Winners of CAF Group D (W4 D2 L0 F10 A3)
Recent form D0-0 v Luxembourg, L1-2 v Croatia
Coach Aliou Cisse will look to invoke the spirit of 2002 when he leads Senegal to just their second World Cup appearance. After all, the former Birmingham City and Portsmouth midfielder still has fond memories of that summer 16 years ago when he skippered the Lions of Teranga team which shocked the world by beating defending champions France on the way eventually to a place in the quarter finals. In the last eight, they eventually lost 1-0 to Turkey to a golden goal (remember them?) in extra time - and no African team has been further before or since. Back then, the Senegalese would defend stoutly and look to their little diamond in the rough up front - El-Hadji Diouf - who went on to play for Liverpool among others. This time, Senegal will take a similar approach but with the role of the main man being filled by Saido Mane who is already at Anfield. There, of course, Mane has had a marathon campaign right up until the last weekend in May - and Cisse must hope that, following his 44 appearances, the 26-year-old has left some gas in the tank. Now, if he has, expect Senegal to be a threat in this group - and perhaps even repeat the feat of their predecessors by progressing into the knockout stage.
Prediction: Last 16
COLOMBIA FIFA World ranking 16 Odds 33/1 @FCFSeleccioncol Squad
Coach José Pékerman (since February 2012)
World Cup best Quarter finals 2014
Last appearance Quarter finals 2014
Qualification Fourth place in CONMEBOL (W7 D6 L5 F21 A19)
Recent form D0-0 v Egypt
Colombia emerged from the World Cup wilderness in style four years ago - James Rodriguez won the Golden Boot and Los Cafeteros reached the quarter finals for the first time ever in their first participation in 20 years. Indeed, the Colombians, with four wins in 2014, more than doubled their total number of World Cup finals victories in a single tournament - but what came next was not so impressive. Inconsistent form in the qualifiers for this World Cup eventually left Colombia hanging on in the final automatic spot and reliant on a late spate of draws - and, as Jose Pekerman's men scored just 21 goals in 18 games in the marathon South American group, it is clear where the lion's share of the problems lie. While Rodriguez himself has hardly let his own level drop, he badly needs to be backed up by his skipper Radamel Falcao who is, after all, the all-time Colombian top scorer. The Monaco striker has had a torrid time of it recently, however - his two loan spells in the Premier League at Manchester United and then Chelsea were, by and large, a waste of time while, most recently, his 2017-18 season was interrupted by a succession of hamstring strains.
Prediction: Group stage
JAPAN FIFA World ranking 61 Odds 150/1 @jfa_en Squad
Coach Akira Nishino (since April 2018)
World Cup best Last 16 in 2002, 2010
Last appearance Group stage 2014
Qualification Winners of AFC Group B (W6 D2 L2 F17 A7)
Recent form L0-2 v Ghana, L0-2 v Switzerland, W4-2 v Paraguay
Japan have taken a major risk just two months ahead of their sixth World Cup appearance by deciding to change head coach. In fairness to the Japanese Football Association, previous boss Vahid Halilhodzic was picking fights with the organisation and seemed to have completely lost his way while, having been in the role of technical director immediately before his hasty appointment, it is also not as if replacement Akira Nishino has just been plucked from absolute obscurity. Nevertheless, Nishino's golden days in club management in which he won just about everything on offer at Gamba Osaka were a decade or so ago and the Miracle of Miami - where his Japanese Olympic side beat the might of Brazil - was even further back in 1996. It seems then that in the Land of the Rising Sun, the sun is setting - only Russia and Saudi Arabia head into this tournament with a lower ranking - and the biggest Samurai Blue stars, such as Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda, are a fading force. Under normal circumstances, Japan would fancy their chances of getting through this group - but instead it seems more likely that, in years to come, this will be simply looked upon as a wasted opportunity.
Prediction: Group stage
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