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FIFA World Cup 2018 Schedule: Fixtures, Dates, Start Times

For a full month (and a day) the Russia 2018 World Cup will dominate the sports landscape. But the first thing any fan who wants to watch the world’s most popular event needs to know is the World Cup 2018 schedule, from fixtures and dates to start times and TV/streaming info.

The World Cup 2018 schedule begins on June 14 with host Russia playing Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. It continues until the World Cup final on July 15, back at Luzhniki Stadium, presumably with two teams better than Russia and Saudi Arabia. 

Will Lionel Messi heed Oprah's advice and lead Argentina back to the final? Can Neymar and Brazil overcome the embarrassment of their 2014 failure? Can Cristiano Ronaldo repeat his heroics in the 2016 Euros? Can Germany stay on top with European rivals Italy and the Netherlands staying at home?

The World Cup 2018 schedule will help determine those answers — or at least let us know when to watch the drama unfold. It’s important to remember these dates and times because many will be early kickoffs for most of America, with matches starting as early as 3 a.m. Pacific Time. Make sure you set your alarms (or DVRs). 

For viewers in the United States, the World Cup will be broadcast by Fox in English and Telemundo in Spanish. Having already announced the full World Cup TV schedule, Fox will broadcast 38 of the 64 matches on its over-the-air network FOX, with the remaining 26 matches to be aired on FS1. Telemundo will broadcast 56 matches in Spanish while the remaining eight will be on Universo. Those eight are the simultaneous kickoffs at the end of the group stage. 

Both networks have also promised hours of bonus coverage including pregame, postgame and other daily shows surrounding the World Cup. Additionally, both broadcasters will offer online streaming through their normal avenues with an appropriate cable subscription to their networks. 

Below is the 2018 World Cup schedule in full, with all times Eastern Time. Note: All TV channels are subject to change, particularly the simultaneous kickoffs, with the networks waiting to choose the most important match for the more widely distributed channel. Here is a handy graphic you can screenshot on your phone as well. These are only the group stage matches:

World Cup Schedule bookmark screenshot save

World Cup 2018 Schedule

(All Times ET)

Group Stage

Thursday, June 14

Russia vs. Saudi Arabia, 11 a.m.
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow (FOX)

Friday, June 15

Egypt vs. Uruguay, 8 a.m.
Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg (FS1)

Morocco vs. Iran, 11 a.m. 
St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg (FOX)

Portugal vs. Spain, 2 p.m.
Fisht Stadium, Sochi (FOX)

Saturday, June 16

France vs. Australia, 6 a.m.
Kazan Arena, Kazan (FS1)

Argentina vs. Iceland, 9 a.m.
Spartak Stadium, Moscow (FOX) 

Peru vs. Denmark, noon
Mordovia Arena, Saransk (FS1)

Croatia vs. Nigeria, 3 p.m.
Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad (FS1)

Sunday, June 17

Costa Rica vs. Serbia, 8 a.m.
Samara Arena, Samara (FOX)

Germany vs. Mexico, 11 a.m.
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow (FS1)

Brazil vs. Switzerland, 2 p.m.
Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don (FS1)

Monday, June 18

Sweden vs. Korea Republic, 8 a.m.
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod (FS1)

Belgium vs. Panama, 11 a.m.
Fisht Stadium, Sochi (FS1)

Tunisia vs. England, 2 p.m.
Volgograd Arena, Volgograd (FS1)

Tuesday, June 19

Colombia vs. Japan, 8 a.m.
Mordovia Arena, Saransk (FS1)

Poland vs. Senegal, 11 a.m.
Spartak Stadium, Moscow (FOX)

Russia vs. Egypt, 2 p.m.
St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg (FOX)

Wednesday, June 20

Portugal vs. Morocco, 8 a.m.
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow (FS1)

Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia, 11 a.m.
Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don (FOX)

Iran vs. Spain, 2 p.m.
Kazan Arena, Kazan (FOX)

Thursday, June 21

Denmark vs. Australia, 8 a.m.
Samara Arena, Samara (FS1)

France vs. Peru, 11 a.m.
Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg (FOX)

Argentina vs. Croatia, 2 p.m.
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod (FOX)

Friday, June 22

Brazil vs. Costa Rica, 8 a.m.
St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg (FS1)

Nigeria vs. Iceland, 11 a.m.
Volgograd Arena, Volgograd (FOX)

Serbia vs. Switzerland, 2 p.m.
Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad (FOX)

Saturday, June 23

Belgium vs. Tunisia, 8 a.m.
Spartak Stadium, Moscow (FOX)

Korea Republic vs. Mexico, 11 a.m.
Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don (FOX)

Germany vs. Sweden, 2 p.m.
Fisht Stadium, Sochi (FOX)

Sunday, June 24

England vs. Panama, 8 a.m.
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod (FS1)

Japan vs. Senegal, 11 a.m.
Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg (FOX)

Poland vs. Colombia, 2 p.m.
Kazan Arena, Kazan (FOX)

Monday, June 25

Uruguay vs. Russia, 10 a.m.
Samara Arena, Samara (FOX)*

Saudi Arabia vs. Egypt, 10 a.m.
Volgograd Arena, Volgograd (FS1)*

Iran vs. Portugal, 2 p.m.
Mordovia Arena, Saransk (FOX)*

Spain vs. Morocco, 2p.m.
Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad (FS1)*

Tuesday, June 26

Denmark vs. France, 10 a.m.
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow (FOX)*

Australia vs. Peru, 10 a.m.
Fisht Stadium, Sochi (FS1)*

Nigeria vs. Argentina, 2 p.m.
St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg (FOX)*

Iceland vs. Croatia, 2 p.m.
Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don (FS1)*

Wednesday, June 27

Mexico vs. Sweden, 10 a.m.
Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg (FOX)*

Korea Republic vs. Germany, 10 a.m.
Kazan Arena, Kazan (FS1)*

Serbia vs. Brazil, 2 p.m.
Spartak Stadium, Moscow (FOX)*

Switzerland vs. Costa Rica, 2 p.m.
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod (FS1)*

Thursday, June 28

Senegal vs. Colombia, 10 a.m.
Samara Arena, Samara (FOX)*

Japan vs. Poland, 10 a.m.
Volgograd Arena, Volgograd (FS1)*

England vs. Belgium, 2 p.m.
Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad (FOX)*

Panama vs. Tunisia, 2 p.m.
Mordovia Arena, Saransk (FS1)*

World Cup 2018 Schedule

Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow is on the World Cup 2018 schedule seven times. Photo: @brfootball | Twitter

Knockout Stage

Round of 16

Saturday, June 30

Group C Winner vs. Group D Runner-Up, 10 a.m.
Kazan Arena, Kazan (FOX)

Group A Winner vs. Group B Runner-Up, 2 p.m.
Fisht Stadium, Sochi (FOX)

Sunday, July 1

Group B Winner vs. Group A Runner-Up, 10 a.m.
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow (FOX)

Group D Winner vs. Group C Runner-Up, 2 p.m.
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod (FOX)

Monday, July 2

Group E Winner vs. Group F Runner-Up, 10 a.m.
Samara Arena, Samara (FS1)*

Group G Winner vs. Group H Runner-Up, 2 p.m.
Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don (FOX)*

Tuesday, July 3

Group F Winner vs. Group E Runner-Up, 10 a.m.
St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg (FS1)*

Group H Winner vs. Group G Runner-Up, 2 p.m.
Spartak Stadium, Moscow (FOX)*

Quarterfinals

Friday, July 6

C1-D2 Winner vs. A1-B2 Winner, 10 a.m.
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod (FS1)

B1-A2 Winner vs. D1-C2 Winner, 2 p.m.
Kazan Arena, Kazan (FS1)

Saturday, July 7

E1-F2 Winner vs. G1-H2 Winner, 10 a.m.
Samara Arena, Samara (FOX)

F1-E2 Winner vs. H1-G2 Winner, 2 p.m.
Fisht Stadium, Sochi (FOX)

Semifinals

Tuesday, July 10

C1-D2-A1-B2 Winner vs. B1-A2-D1-C2 Winner, 2 p.m.
St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg (FOX)

Wednesday, July 11

E1-F2-G1-H2 Winner vs. F1-E2-H1-G2 Winner, 2 p.m.
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow (FOX)

Third-Place Match

Saturday, July 14

Semifinal Losers, 10 a.m.
St. Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg (FOX)

Final

Sunday, July 15

Semfinal Winners, 11 a.m.
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow (FOX)

* — TV channel subject to change.

Note: All matches are also on Telemundo with the exception of eight of the simultaneous kickoff group-stage matches, which are split between Telemundo and Universo. 

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