2018 FIFA World Cup at a Glance
The 2018 FIFA World Cup ran from 14 June to 15 July 2018, hosted by Russia. This edition featured 32 national teams competing across 12 venues in 11 host cities. The tournament followed a group stage, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place match, and final. Below is a detailed, evergreen-friendly schedule designed for long-term reference and planning.
Host Cities and Stadiums
Matches were held in 11 Russian cities using 12 stadiums. Group-stage games were distributed to enable balanced travel where possible, while knockout stages concentrated in larger cities. The final was held at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Moscow | Luzhniki | 81,006 |
| Saint Petersburg | Krestovsky | 67,800 |
| Sochi | Fisht Olympic | 47,659 |
| Kazan | Kazan Arena | 45,379 |
| Nizhny Novgorod | Otkritie | 44,899 |
| Samara | Cosmos Arena | 44,918 |
| Rostov-on-Don | Rostov Arena | 45,000 |
| Yekaterinburg | Central Stadium | 35,696 |
| Khimki | Arena Khimki | 18,636 |
| Naberezhnye Chelny | Central Stadium | 30,377 |
| Kaliningrad | Kaliningrad Stadium | 35,212 |
Group Stage Overview
The 32 teams were drawn into 8 groups of 4 (Groups A–H). Each team played the other three teams in its group once. The top two from each group advanced to the round of 16, along with the four best third-placed teams. Use the following schedule anchors to understand how the group stage unfolded over three matchdays per group.
| Group | Matchday 1 (14–15 June) | Matchday 2 (18–21 June) | Matchday 3 (23–26 June) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Russia–Saudi Arabia | Egypt–Uruguay | Saudi Arabia–Egypt | Uruguay–Russia | Russia–Egypt | Saudi Arabia–Uruguay |
| B | Portugal–Spain | Iran–Morocco | Spain–Iran | Portugal–Morocco | Iran–Portugal | Morocco–Spain |
| C | France–Australia | Peru–Denmark | Australia–Peru | France–Denmark | Australia–France | Denmark–Peru |
| D | Argentina–Iceland | Croatia–Nigeria | Argentina–Croatia | Nigeria–Iceland | Croatia–Iceland | Argentina–Nigeria |
| E | Brazil–Switzerland | Costa Rica–Serbia | Brazil–Serbia | Costa Rica–Switzerland | Switzerland–Costa Rica | Serbia–Brazil |
| F | Germany–Mexico | Sweden–South Korea | Germany–Sweden | Mexico–South Korea | Mexico–Germany | South Korea–Sweden |
| G | Belgium–Panama | Tunisia–England | Belgium–Tunisia | England–Panama | Panama–Tunisia | England–Belgium |
| H | Colombia–Japan | Senegal–Colombia | Japan–Senegal | Colombia–Poland | Poland–Japan | Senegal–Poland |
Knockout Stage Calendar
Knockout matches were scheduled primarily on weekdays and weekends to maintain competitive balance and broadcast windows. Each tie in the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals was a single match; the third-place match occurred the day before the final.
| Round | Date | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | 30 June–1 July | 8 matches across multiple venues |
| Quarterfinals | 6–7 July | 4 matches |
| Semifinals | 10–11 July | 2 matches |
| Third Place | 14 July | 1 match |
| Final | 15 July | 1 match (Luzhniki, Moscow) |
Detailed Match Dates and Times (Key Examples)
- 14 June: Group A — Russia 5–0 Saudi Arabia (Moscow, 18:00 local)
- 15 June: Group F — Germany 1–1 Mexico (Sochi, 15:00 local)
- 30 June: Round of 16 — France 4–3 Argentina (Kazan, 13:00 local)
- 7 July: Quarterfinal — England 2–0 Sweden (Samara, 18:00 local)
- 15 July: Final — France 4–2 Croatia (Moscow, 18:00 local)
How to Read This Schedule for Reference
Because this is an evergreen resource, the layout emphasizes clarity and long-term utility:
- Group fixtures: Listed by matchday within each group to show progression and rest patterns.
- Knockout brackets: Dates and venues for every single-elimination round.
- Time zones: All listed match times are local to the host city (MSK for Moscow, SAMT for Samara, etc.).
- Venue consistency: Repeated use of established stadiums minimizes confusion for planning and archival research.
Key Takeaways and Planning Notes
Use this schedule to align content calendars, historical retrospectives, or analysis pieces with exact dates and contexts. For audiences referencing past events, clearly labeled local times and venue details reduce ambiguity. The group stage’s three-matchday format per group created predictable windows for narrative arcs, while the knockout phase’s concentrated timeline intensified global attention toward mid-July.
Conclusion
The 2018 FIFA World Cup schedule remains a durable reference point for football history, broadcasting patterns, and tournament design. By presenting match dates, venues, and structural context in a clear, fact-first format, this guide supports long-term utility for writers, analysts, and fans.