736 players, 32 matches, 12 stadiums, 1 Cup!

Let the games begin! 2018 FIFA World Cup is here!

2018 World Cup

Source: Supplied

The 2018 FIFA World Cup is finally about to start in Russia with 32 teams vying for the most coveted cup in football - the World Cup.

Seven hundred and thirty six players will be participating in this wonderful game after several months of qualifying matches, most of them nail biters.

Billions of eyes will be watching the matches across the globe with fans already on standby with their favourite football players’ T-shirts and gear.

In the 21st edition of the World Cup, Iceland and Panama are the debut nations with great hopes of showing their skills on the world stage.

Five times winner of the cup (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002) Brazil is all set to go for the glory after a humiliating defeat in the semi-final against Germany in 2014, while the latter which won the same edition will be defending with their best XI.

At just 19, Socceroos (Australia) midfielder Daniel Arzani will become the youngest ever player at a World Cup in 2018.  On the other hand, 45-year (and four months) old Essam El-Hadary of Egypt will be the oldest player in the game.

All the 64 matches will be played in 12 stadiums spread across over 2800 kilometre, from Kaliningrad on the coast of the Baltic Sea to Ekaterinburg, at the base of the Ural mountains. Luzhniki stadium in Moscow is the largest venue with a capacity of 81,000.

The following are the eight groups:

Group A: Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Group B: IR Iran, Morocco, Portugal, Spain

Group C: Australia, Denmark, France, Peru

Group D: Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria

Group E: Brazil, Costa Rica, Serbia, Switzerland

Group F: Germany, Korea Republic, Mexico, Sweden

Group G: Belgium, England, Panama, Tunisia

Group H: Colombia, Japan, Poland, Senegal

SBS Urdu will keep you up to date with all the happenings of the world tournament.

For more updates, follow SBS Urdu on Facebook & Twitter and bookmark our webpage – www.sbs.com.au/urdu


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By Talib Haider

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