2018 World Cup draw: Spain meets Portugal in otherwise balanced group stage
Shaun Botterill / Getty Images Sport / Getty
That vast space in your calendar between June 14, 2018 and July 15, 2018 can now be filled with the dates and times of 64 international matches.
The draw for the 2018 World Cup group stage was conducted Friday in the concert hall of Moscow's State Kremlin Palace, and offers some standout tussles to look forward to in the showpiece's first phase.
Here are the groups and opening fixtures in full:
Group A
| Slot | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Russia |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia |
| 3 | Egypt |
| 4 | Uruguay |
Matches:
- June 14, 2018: Russia vs. Saudi Arabia (11 a.m. ET)
- June 15, 2018: Egypt vs. Uruguay (8 a.m. ET)
- June 19, 2018: Russia vs. Egypt (2 p.m. ET)
- June 20, 2018: Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia (11 a.m. ET)
- June 25, 2018: Uruguay vs. Russia (10 a.m. ET)
- June 25, 2018: Saudi Arabia vs. Egypt (10 a.m. ET)
Group B
| Slot | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal |
| 2 | Spain |
| 3 | Morocco |
| 4 | Iran |
Matches:
- June 15, 2018: Morocco vs. Iran (11 a.m. ET)
- June 15, 2018: Portugal vs. Spain (2 p.m. ET)
- June 20, 2018: Portugal vs. Morocco (8 a.m. ET)
- June 20, 2018: Iran vs. Spain (2 p.m. ET)
- June 25, 2018: Iran vs. Portugal (2 p.m. ET)
- June 25, 2018: Spain vs. Morocco (2 p.m. ET)
Group C
| Slot | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | France |
| 2 | Australia |
| 3 | Peru |
| 4 | Denmark |
Matches:
- June 16, 2018: France vs. Australia (6 a.m. ET)
- June 16, 2018: Peru vs. Denmark (12 p.m. ET)
- June 21, 2018: France vs. Peru (8 a.m. ET)
- June 21, 2018: Denmark vs. Australia (11 a.m. ET)
- June 26, 2018: Denmark vs. France (10 a.m. ET)
- June 26, 2018: Australia vs. Peru (10 a.m. ET)
Group D
| Slot | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina |
| 2 | Iceland |
| 3 | Croatia |
| 4 | Nigeria |
Matches:
- June 16, 2018: Argentina vs. Iceland (9 a.m. ET)
- June 16, 2018: Croatia vs. Nigeria (3 p.m. ET)
- June 21, 2018: Argentina vs. Croatia (2 p.m. ET)
- June 22, 2018: Nigeria vs. Iceland (11 a.m. ET)
- June 26, 2018: Nigeria vs. Argentina (2 p.m. ET)
- June 26, 2018: Iceland vs. Croatia (2 p.m. ET)
Group E
| Slot | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil |
| 2 | Switzerland |
| 3 | Costa Rica |
| 4 | Serbia |
Matches:
- June 17, 2018: Costa Rica vs. Serbia (8 a.m. ET)
- June 17, 2018: Brazil vs. Switzerland (2 p.m. ET)
- June 22, 2018: Brazil vs. Costa Rica (8 a.m. ET)
- June 22, 2018: Serbia vs. Switzerland (2 p.m. ET)
- June 27, 2018: Serbia vs. Brazil (2 p.m. ET)
- June 27, 2018: Switzerland vs. Costa Rica (2 p.m. ET)
Group F
| Slot | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Germany |
| 2 | Mexico |
| 3 | Sweden |
| 4 | South Korea |
Matches:
- June 17, 2018: Germany vs. Mexico (8 a.m. ET)
- June 18, 2018: Sweden vs. South Korea (2 p.m. ET)
- June 23, 2018: Germany vs. Sweden (11 a.m. ET)
- June 23, 2018: South Korea vs. Mexico (2 p.m. ET)
- June 27, 2018: South Korea vs. Germany (10 a.m. ET)
- June 27, 2018: Mexico vs. Sweden (10 a.m. ET)
Group G
| Slot | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium |
| 2 | Panama |
| 3 | Tunisia |
| 4 | England |
Matches:
- June 18, 2018: Belgium vs. Panama (11 a.m. ET)
- June 18, 2018: Tunisia vs. England (2 p.m. ET)
- June 23, 2018: Belgium vs. Tunisia (8 a.m. ET)
- June 24, 2018: England vs. Panama (8 a.m. ET)
- June 28, 2018: England vs. Belgium (2 p.m. ET)
- June 28, 2018: Panama vs. Tunisia (2 p.m. ET)
Group H
| Slot | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Poland |
| 2 | Senegal |
| 3 | Colombia |
| 4 | Japan |
Matches:
- June 19, 2018: Poland vs. Senegal (8 a.m. ET)
- June 19, 2018: Colombia vs. Japan (11 a.m. ET)
- June 24, 2018: Japan vs. Senegal (11 a.m. ET)
- June 24, 2018: Poland vs. Colombia (2 p.m. ET)
- June 28, 2018: Japan vs. Poland (10 a.m. ET)
- June 28, 2018: Senegal vs. Colombia (10 a.m. ET)
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)