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The 2018 FIFA World Cup continued Sunday with Serbia defeating Costa Rica 1-0 and Mexico upsetting Germany with a 1-0 finish. Meanwhile, Brazil tied Switzerland 1-1 in the final match of the day.
The month-long tournament concludes on July 15 is considered the biggest sporting competition in the world. Like the Olympics, it is held every four years at a different host nation selected by the FIFA Executive Committee. For 2018, Russia is the host nation. Qatar will be the next host nation in 2022, a highly contested choice.
Watch the World Cup – Watch Online stream and on TV
2018 World Cup Standings
Here are the standings thus far. Teams are awarded three points for a win and one for a tie. (win – loss – tie)
Group A Standings
- Russia (1-0-0) 3 points
- Uruguay (1-0-0) 3 points
- Egypt (0-0-1) 0 points
- Saudi Arabia (0-0-1), 0 points
Group B Standings
- Iran (1-0-0), 3 points
- Portugal (0-1-0 ) 1 point
- Spain (0-1-0) 1 point
- Morocco (0-0-0) 0 points
Group C Standings
- France(1-0-0) 3 points
- Denmark (1-0-0) 3 points
- Peru (0-0-1) 0 points
- Australia (0-0-1), 0 points
Group D Standings
- Croatia (1-0-0) 3 points
- Argentina (0-1-0) 1 point
- Iceland (0-1-0) 1 point
- Nigeria (0-0-1) 0 points
Group E Standings
- Serbia (1-0-0) 3 points
- Brazil (0-1-0) 1 point
- Switzerland (0-1-0) 1 point
- Coasta Rica (0-1-0) 0 points
Group F Standings
- Mexico (1-0-0) 3 points
- Germany (0-0-1) 0 points
- Sweden (0-0-0) 0 points
- South Korea (0-0-0) 0 points
Group G Standings
- Belgium (1-0-0) 3 points
- England (1-0-0) 3 points
- Tunisia (0-1-0) 1 point
- Panama (0-0-1) 0 points
2018 FIFA World Cup schedule
The FIFA World Cup is played in two stages – the group stage and the knockout stage. In the group stage, each of the four teams in a group play one match against each other. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a tie. After all three matches are played, the two teams with the highest point total in each group advances to the knockout stage.
The knockout stage is a single-elimination tournament with the remaining 16 teams. Eight teams are seeded on each side of the bracket. Winners advance until only two remain, similar to the NCAA Final Four and other bracket tournaments.
Group stage schedule — all World Cup fixtures
*All times Eastern
Thursday, June 14
- 11 a.m. – Russia vs. Saudia Arabia
Friday, June 15
- 8 a.m. – Egypt vs. Uruguay
- 11 a.m. – Morocco vs. Iran
- 2 p.m. – Portugal vs. Spain
Saturday, June 16
- 6 a.m. – France vs. Australia
- 10 a.m. – Argentina vs. Iceland
- 12 p.m. – Peru vs. Denmark
- 3 p.m. – Croatia vs. Nigeria
Sunday, June 17
- 8 a.m. – Costa Rica vs. Serbia
- 11 a.m. – Germany vs. Mexico
- 2 p.m. – Brazil vs. Switzerland
Monday, June 18
- 8 a.m. – Sweden vs. South Korea
- 11 a.m. – Belgium vs. Panama
- 2 p.m. – Tunisia vs. England
Tuesday, June 19
- 8 a.m. – Colombia vs. Japan
- 11 a.m. – Poland vs. Senegal
- 2 p.m. – Russia vs. Egypt
Wednesday, June 20
- 8 a.m. – Portugal vs. Morocco
- 11 a.m. – Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia
- 2 p.m. – Iran vs. Spain
Thursday, June 21
- 8 a.m. – Denmark vs. Australia
- 11 a.m. – France vs. Peru
- 2 p.m. – Argentina vs. Croatia
Friday, June 22
- 8 a.m. – Brazil vs. Costa Rica
- 11 a.m. – Nigeria vs. Iceland
- 2 p.m. – Serbia vs. Switzerland
Saturday, June 23
- 8 a.m. – Belgium vs. Tunisia
- 11 a.m. – South Korea vs. Mexico
- 2 p.m. – Germany vs. Sweden
Sunday, June 24
- 8 a.m. – England vs. Panama
- 11 a.m. – Japan vs. Senegal
- 2 p.m. – Poland vs. Colombia
Monday, June 25
- 10 a.m. – Uruguay vs. Russia
- 10 a.m. – Saudi Arabia vs. Egypt
- 2 p.m. – Spain vs. Morocco
- 2 p.m. – Iran vs. Portugal
Tuesday, June 26
- 10 a.m. – Australia vs. Peru
- 10 a.m. – Denmark vs. France
- 2 p.m. – Nigeria vs. Argentina
- 2 p.m. – Iceland vs. Croatia
Wednesday, June 27
- 10 a.m. – South Korea vs. Germany
- 10 a.m. – Mexico vs. Sweden
- 2 p.m. – Serbia vs. Brazil
- 2 p.m. – Switzerland vs Costa Rica
Thursday, June 28
- 10 a.m. – Japan vs. Poland
- 10 a.m. – Senegal vs. Colombia
- 2 p.m. – Panama vs. Tunisia
- 2 p.m. – England vs. Belgium
Knockout stage – Round of 16 schedule
Saturday, June 30
- 10 a.m. – Match 50: Group C winner vs. Group D runner-up
- 2 p.m. – Match 49: Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up
Sunday, July 1
- 10 a.m. – Match 51: Group B winner vs. Group A runner-up
- 2 p.m. – Match 52: Group D winner vs. Group C runner-up
Monday, July 2
- 10 a.m. – Match 53: Group E winner vs. Group F runner-up
- 2 p.m. – Match 54: Group G winner vs. Group H runner-up
Tuesday, July 3
- 10 a.m. – Match 55: Group F winner vs. Group E runner-up
- 2 p.m. – Match 56: Group H winner vs. Group G runner-up
Knockout stage — Quarterfinal schedule
Friday, July 6
- 10 a.m. – Match 57: (Match 49 winner vs. Match 50 winner)
- 2 p.m. – Match 58: (Match 53 winner vs. Match 54 winner)
Saturday, July 7
- 10 a.m. – Match 60: (Match 55 winner vs. Match 56 winner)
- 2 p.m. – Match 59: (Match 51 winner vs. Match 52 winner)
World Cup semifinals schedule
Tuesday, July 10
- 2 p.m. – Match 61: (Match 57 winner vs. Match 58 winner)
Wednesday, July 11
- 2 p.m. – Match 62: (Match 59 winner vs. Match 60 winner)
World Cup third-place match
Saturday, July 14
- 2 p.m. – Match 61 loser vs. Match 62 loser
2018 World Cup Final
Sunday, July 15
- 2 p.m. – Match 61 winner vs. Match 62 winner
World Cup teams, groups, odds
Thirty-two counties qualified for the World Cup tournament. Russia, the host nation, gets the first spot in Group A. The other 31 teams were drawn. Brazil is the favorite to advance from Group E despite losing defender Dani Alves to a knee injury in May.
Meanwhile, Germany is the -400 favorite to win Group F. This means you would need to bet $400 to make $100.
Here are all 32 country teams along with their respective groups and odds to advance to the next round.
- Group A: Russia (+160), Saudi Arabia (+4000), Egypt (+500), Uruguay (-110)
- Group B: Portugal (+220), Spain (-220), Morocco (+1600), Iran (+4000)
- Group C: France (-425), Australia (+2000), Peru (+1000), Denmark (+550)
- Group D: Argentina (-200), Iceland (+1200), Croatia (+250), Nigeria (+1200)
- Group E: Brazil (-450), Switzerland (+700), Costa Rica (+2000), Serbia (+800)
- Group F: Germany (-400), Mexico (+500), Sweden (+700), South Korea (+2000)
- Group G: Belgium (-140), Panama (+4000), Tunisia (+2200), England (+120)
- Group H: Poland (+180), Senegal (+500), Colombia (+120), Japan (+700)
Download a printable World Cup bracket
Our friends at CBS Sports have created a downloadable World Cup bracket for following along with all the matches. The bracket contains all teams within all eight groups and how they place into the round of 16 in the knock out stage.
World Cup Predictions
Predictions always run rampant for World Cup. Favorites to win it all in 2018 include perennial powerhouses Brazil, France, Germany and Spain are early favorites.
Traditionally world powerhouse teams win World Cup qualifiers and friendlies throughout the year and place high in the FIFA world rankings. Their records speak volumes and their players are stars in their respective leagues. But that doesn’t always play out on the World Cup stage.
Most predictions predicate on traditional powerhouses winning the group stage to get to the tournament bracket for the knock out stage. That doesn’t always happen. Ask England. In fact, England Italy, Portugal and 2012 winner Spain didn’t make their way out of the group stage last time out.
Why is the United States not in the World Cup?
For the first time since 1986, the U.S. men’s national team did not qualify for the World Cup. Simply put, the U.S. team did not win enough of their 10 qualifying games leading up to the tournament. If you need help finding a side to support, our friends at CBS Sports have a guide to picking a team that’s not Team USA.
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