It’s the eve of the World Cup 2018 with the eyes of the globe turning towards Russia.
It promises to be an action-packed, drama-filled month as 736 players from 32 nations arrive for a feast of football. Brazil, Spain and Germany arrive as tournament favourites with Gareth Southgate's England heading in with plenty of hope if not much expectation. They face Tunisia in Volgograd on Monday before taking on Panama and Belgium in Group G.
The Three Lions are settling in in Repino having arrived yesterday, with the tournament kicking off in earnest on Thursday afternoon when the hosts face Saudi Arabia.
We will have all the latest news, views, pictures and video direct from Russia throughout the day as we build up to the biggest football tournament in the world.
Live Updates
BREAKING NEWS: The united bid of USA, Canada and Mexico have won the rights to host the 2026 World Cup. How have the England camp taken this morning's news? With just two days until Spain take on Portugal in their first match of these finals, who will replace Lopetegui? Julen Lopetegui was appointed head coach of Spain in July 2016. In his 20 games in charge, the national team were unbeaten, winning 16 and drawing four. "It's the Spanish team. You cannot do things this way." The official word from the Royal Spanish Football Federation. I don't know how hot your Spanish is but the federation president, former Hamilton Academical defender, Luis Rubiales has announced the departure of the national team's head coach, Julen Lopetegui, on the eve of the World Cup finals. Rubiales was said to be furious after he found out that Lopetegui had agreed to join Real Madrid after the World Cup, just five minutes before the La Liga club officially announced the deal. The Spanish players, particularly those with Real Madrid and especially Sergio Ramos, were keen for Lopetegui to stay on for the tournament, but Rubiales is apparently adamant that he wants to build a clean and honest federation, bigger than Barcelona and Real Madrid. Spain sack coach one day before start of World Cup BREAKING NEWS: Julen Lopetegui has been sacked as Spain head coach. Alright, Peter! We don't keep going on about the time Davor Suker lobbed you at Euro '96! The World Cup has always been the greatest stage on earth for showcasing footballing creativity. Think Hagi. Think Gascoigne. Think Platini. Think Iniesta, Socrates, Neeskens. Think Stojkovic. Think Zidane. Think this Spanish journalist. The England players are out for their first training session in Zelenogorsk this morning, and there are a couple of concerns for fans of the Three Lions. Despite some strapping on his left ankle, Eric Dier is taking part in the action but Marcus Rashford - so impressive in the friendly win against Costa Rica at the weekend - is sitting it out with a slight knee strain. Now whose shoulders are we going to pin a nation's hopes upon? Later today, we will find out who will be hosting the 2026 World Cup, and exactly where I'll be pretending to live blog from in eight years time. As with anything and everything else, the United States looked to be in a good position...and then Donald Trump started tweeting. The U.S. had presented a joint bid with Canada and Mexico (that wall is going to make travelling a nightmare for supporters) and were clear favourites to land the 2026 competition, but they are now being challenged by Morocco. Bidding to host the World Cup for a fifth time, Morocco are adamant that an Africa country are deserving of another tournament after South Africa's hosting of the event in 2010. Do they have vuvuzelas in North Africa? The FIFA Congress will vote on who should host the 'biggest World Cup ever' later today with experts already predicting it as too close to call. A failure to go with either bid will open up the opportunity for further bids elsewhere. It's already proving to be more exciting than Russia v Saudi Arabia tomorrow. The social media channels are awash with Spain speculation about their upcoming press conference. Could they really be replacing their manager on the eve of the World Cup, two days before they take on European champions Portugal in their Group B opener? Of course, the most frustrating thing in all of this is it was only yesterday that I finally nailed how to spell Julen Lopetegui without Googling. The Spain coach (for now) is remaining tight-lipped (for now). Spain's press conference where they will clarify Julen Lopetegi's future has been delayed until 11.30am BST. The plot thickens... BREAKING: With just 48 hours to go until their World Cup campaign kicks off against Portugal on Friday, Spain could sack their manager Julen Lopetegi. Lopetegi was announced as the new Real Madrid manager yesterday but the Spanish FA are calling it a 'betrayal'. READ ALL THE DETAILS: Spain considering replacing Julen Lopetegui over Real Madrid ‘betrayal’ England landed in Repino yesterday, with their first game on Monday against Tunisia. Good morning and welcome to today's Independent World Cup blog. The 2018 Fifa World Cup kicks off in Moscow in just a matter of days with excitement building ahead of the biggest football tournament on the planet.
We'll bring you all the latest news on that plus all the best pictures and video from Russia throughout the day right here so don't touch that dial.
Without further ado, off we go.
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load.
Follow the Independent Sport on Instagram here, for all of the best images, videos and stories from around the sporting world.
The Russia World Cup 2018 is just hours away and the excitement is palpable. The teams are arriving, England have posed for their send-off picture and the first whistle is only days away.
Here's our guide on how to watch every second of the action. From this Thursday, we will be in for a feast of pretty much non-stop football.
Last December's draw put England in Group G with Belgium, Tunisia and Panama and the good news is that all three of the games have been scheduled at sociable times. You can hear the sighs of relief from office bosses all around the country.
The full World Cup 2018 fixture schedule is included below, with timings, venues and TV channels included.
All times BST. Local times are BST +2 apart from games played in Kaliningrad (+1), Samara (+3) and Ekaterinburg (+4).
Group stages
Thursday 14 June
Russia vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) - Moscow (Luzhniki) - 4pm - ITV
Friday 15 June
Egypt vs Uruguay (Group A) - Ekaterinburg - 1pm - BBC
Morocco vs Iran (Group B) - St Petersburg - 4pm - ITV
Portugal vs Spain (Group B) - Sochi - 7pm - BBC
Saturday 16 June
France vs Australia (Group C) - Kazan - 11am - BBC
There's no shortage of people who think they know their football - but could they plot their way through the entire World Cup?
Now you can find out just how good you are at working out who will come out on top in Russia.
From the group stage, through the knockout rounds to the final in Moscow on 15 July - use our brand new tool and then share your results with your friends.
Who will triumph in Russia? Which player will be top scorer? Who will be the breakthrough star? How far will England go?
Which two teams will reach the final - and who will win?
My time of selecting Spain to win every tournament is now officially over – probably four years too late – and I’m reverting back to Germany, in a penalty shootout against France. Daniel Taylor
Brazil and Argentina, with Lionel Messi to illuminate the grandest stage, then retire from international football clutching its ultimate prize. Maybe. Dominic Fifield
Notoriously hard to call before a round of games has been played. Brazil beating Germany would be my preference. Barney Ronay
David Squires on ... the World Cup: Football Christmas is here! Read more
Brazil against Germany - the ultimate test of Brazil’s temperament and a tale of vengeance in result if not in scoreline. Amy Lawrence
Brazil to beat Germany. Brazil have got everything but, most importantly, balance and a hardier mentality under Tite. Germany remain intimidating and even greater than the sum of their parts. David Hytner
Brazil and Germany, and Brazil will ultimately be champions. Stuart James
Sign up for the World Cup Fiver, our free and funny daily email.
France and Germany would not be a massive surprise but a lot depends on which Paul Pogba shows up; the player who dictated a £100m move or the one which has struggled for consistency at Manchester United. Martha Kelner
Brazil and Spain, and Brazil will win. Tite’s side have been impressive in the build-up to the tournament, have solidity and have rested Neymar. Sid Lowe
The dream final would be France versus Brazil - a repeat of the final from 20 years ago, and hopefully with the same result. Marcel Desailly
Germany against Brazil, and Germany will win. Thomas Hitzlsperger
I’m certain Brazil will be in the final. Who will join them is a hard choice to make but it would certainly be interesting, and make for a great match, if Argentina joined them. Marta
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Neymar is well rested, in form and ready for revenge on Germany. Photograph: APA-PictureDesk GmbH/REX/Shutterstock
Who will be leading individual scorer?
Neymar is a decent shout and should be particularly fired up bearing in mind the way his last World Cup finished. DT
Neymar, whose goals will propel Tite’s side to the final and presumably then earn him a long mooted move to Real Madrid. DF
Romelu Lukaku. Or someone else. Ideally a surprise from a minor nation who gets four in one game then goes home. BR
Gabriel Jesus, supplied by Neymar and Roberto Firmino, could fill his golden boots. AL
World Cup 2018: complete guide to all 736 players Read more
Luis Suárez. Uruguay’s draw is a dream and they will make the quarter-finals, at least, giving Suárez plenty of game-time to do damage. DH
Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian has a good scoring record at international level and is the spearhead of a team that should go far. SJ
Antoine Griezmann could light up this tournament, arriving in Russia on the back of inspiring Atletico Madrid to a Europa League title. His record for France isn’t bad, though, with 20 goals in 53 games. MK
Neymar. The Brazilian arrives in Russia with fresh legs and a desire to take his nation all the way. France’s Kylian Mbappé is also a decent shout. SL
Romelu Lukaku. He’s on great form, has everybody playing for him and some great passers to provide him with the ammunition he needs. MD
Gabriel Jesus. I watched him quite a lot last season and really liked his movement, not to mention his scoring rate. He’ll get plenty of service playing in the same team as the likes of Neymar and Philippe Coutinho and, given I’ve predicted Brazil will get to the final, he should play plenty of games, also. TH
Neymar. He was hurt, played two games and scored in both – I can’t wait to see him in action. M
Facebook Twitter Pinterest France’s Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann are contenders for the World Cup golden boot. Photograph: Gerard Julien/AFP/Getty Images
Who will be the surprise team of the tournament?
Switzerland. The Fifa world rankings are not the best way to judge a team, perhaps, but there must be some valid reasons why they are currently sixth (ahead of France and Spain). DT
Serbia. Mladen Krstajic’s team are unfancied, but boast strength and quality. The key will be ensuring players perform to the same levels they invariably achieve at their clubs. DF
This question contains an internal contradiction. Colombia for the semis, maybe. BR
Uruguay, a mix of renewed confidence and wily old know-how. AL
I see Croatia going deep into the tournament – maybe even the semi-finals. Any team with Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic deserves respect. DH
Denmark. They’re 15 matches unbeaten and this could be the stage for Christian Eriksen to shine. Mind you, their opening game, against Peru, won’t be easy. SJ
Peru return to the World Cup after a 36 year absence but they are full of hope, galvanised in part by their captain, centre forward and all time top scorer Paolo Guerrero managing to overturn a 14-month drugs ban just weeks before the world cup. MK
Marcel Desailly picks his all-time France XI Read more
Would it count as a surprise for Egypt and Uruguay to do well? The two sides from group A certainly could do so. Uruguay have their usual qualities, have Rodrigo Bentancur in midfield and a quiet, competitive confidence. SL
Belgium. Technically they are so good, they have so many talented players. I truly think they can bring a new name to the nations that have won the World Cup. MD
England. There is little expectations around the squad but I think they will get to the quarter-finals. TH
Sweden. It is a country that I have a lot of affection for and I want them to do well in this World Cup. M
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Denmark are unbeaten in 15 matches and Christian Eriksen makes them tick. Photograph: Lars Ronbog/FrontzoneSport via Getty Images
Who will be breakthrough player of the tournament?
Hirving Lozano of Mexico sounds good fun: talented, fiery and nicknamed “Chucky” because of his apparent resemblance to the Child’s Play doll. Lozano scored 19 goals as a winger for PSV Eindhoven last season and is likened to Luis Suarez, though hopefully he will manage not to bite anyone. DT
Samuel Umtiti. That may sound odd given the French centre-half plays at Barcelona, but he was rushed into the team at Euro 2016, making a senior debut in the quarter-final, and is a far better player now. DF
He’s already at Barcelona and cost £90m but I think Ousmane Dembélé could remind everyone exactly why. BR
Kylian Mbappé, who has achieved so much already but in his teens this will be his first major tournament. AL
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The 23-year-old Serbia and Lazio midfielder is tall, dynamic and has an eye for goal. I’m looking forward to watching him, together with Morocco’s creative midfielder, Hakim Ziyech, who plays for Ajax. DH
Poland’s Piotr Zielinski. The 24-year-old was a key member of the Napoli team that pushed Juventus all the way in Serie A last season. SJ
Piotr Zielinski: Poland's playmaker tipped to be the next Kevin De Bruyne Read more
Karol Linetty. The Polish midfielder’s inventive play has seen him glitter for Sampdoria and catch the eye of one or two Premier League clubs. More could take interest if he has a good World Cup. MK
Marco Asensio and Kylian Mbappé. This could be the tournament when they underline just how brilliant they’re going to be. SL
It’s difficult to say, but, if pushed, Kylian Mbappé. He has the potential to be a big World Cup star. But will it be at this World Cup? He is still very young. MD
Benjamin Pavard, a young defender I work with at Stuttgart and part of France’s squad. He can play right-back but, for me, is much better suited to being a centre-back. He is calm and composed, good in the air and aggressive when he needs to be. A real talent. TH
He’s still only 19 and there were ups and downs in his first season at Paris Saint-Germain but I feel Kylian Mbappé could make a really big impact for France. M
How far will England get?
There is a potential quarter-final against Brazil or Germany looming. Even with the new wave of optimism, surrounding Gareth Southgate’s team it’s difficult to see them getting past that stage. DT
The quarter-finals, playing some encouragingly enterprising football along the way. DF
Respectable/brave 2-0 quarter-final loss after narrow squeak to that stage based on discipline and a couple of flukey clean sheets. BR
The usual in all probability, maybe a quarter-final this time. AL
The quarter-finals, where we will lose on penalties to Germany. DH
They will get out of the group but it’s hard to see them progressing any further than the last 16. SJ
Quarter-finals. This is the minimum target the FA has set and is eminently achievable for a team which seems to have had the shackles removed. MK
Quarter-finals. Am I alone in thinking that England are actually quite good? I like the look of them offensively. SL
It is hard to say as England are short of experience. I feel they will need this tournament to grow as a group of players. MD
The quarter-finals. With a bit of good fortune and good play, they could even make the semi-finals. TH
They will definitely get out of their group and possibly go beyond that. M
Play Video 8:40 Panama's World Cup journey: the former Millwall coach behind their success – video
Who will be England’s best/most important player?
Harry Kane. People forget how poor he was in the European Championship, booed by the England fans, but if Kane is on form the team have a striker who can trouble any defence. DT
Harry Kane, making his mark at a major finals. The one player of real pedigree in English ranks. DF
Raheem Sterling. Will bring a dash of Manchester City to things and finally score a couple of goals - hopefully with his gun foot, before suggestively unfurling his sock for the cameras. BR
Harry Kane. Has to be. AL
England World Cup squad told they will be soft targets for Russian hackers Read more
Kyle Walker. He has a pivotal role on the right of Gareth Southgate’s back three, where he brings defensive cover and, crucially, pace on the transitions. Confidence is high after his superb debut season at Manchester City. DH
Harry Kane. England’s captain, principal goalscorer and, it’s fair to say, best player. SJ
Harry Kane is vital to England’s success as one of our few genuine world-class players. The captain has no shortage of motivation, claiming a World Cup victory would be trump winning the Champions League with Tottenham. MK
Marcus Rashford. On the basis he is given continuity, confidence and a certain level of freedom. SL
The guy who has really confirmed his talent on the big stage is Harry Kane and if he gets good service he could be one of the top scorers in Russia. MD
Harry Kane. He needs to score goals and I’m sure he will. TH
Harry Kane. He had a great season with Tottenham Hotspur and his goals will make a difference for England. M
Harry Kane Harry Kane
What are you most looking forward to, on or off the pitch?
The final. It’s a World Cup final. For a journalist, there’s no better moment when it comes to covering the sport. DT
Off the pitch, seeing The Motherland Calls in Volgograd. On it, that jaw dropping contest to match the drama of Belo Horizonte in 2014. DF
Discovering that, in fact, everyday Russians aren’t all Putin-mad dopes or gumshield-clad football hooligans. Also vodka. BR
Exploring Ekaterinburg and watching football in an unexpected place. Japan versus Senegal in a city known as the ‘gateway to Siberia’ is what it’s all about. AL
The best thing about the previous World Cups I’ve covered has been the carnival vibe. I hope it’s the same this time. DH
Morocco receive late boost in their bid to host 2026 World Cup Read more
Seeing Colombia play. I had the pleasure of watching them in Brazil and they were a joy. I also haven’t forgotten how a few of their fans felt sorry for me when I ordered a table for one in a Brazilian steakhouse – four years later and we’re still in touch. SJ
I’m genuinely intrigued to see what sort of World Cup-host Russia will be and if they can succeed in reversing opinions of some visitors that the country is cold and unwelcoming. MK
The same thing you always look forward to at the World Cup – loads of fans from loads of places making loads of noise and discovering players and teams..Some ‘random’ player being brilliant. SL
I’m excited to see which teams are going to surprise us AND which teams are going to show from the very outset that they are here to win it. MD
Although I think Germany will win the World Cup this looks like a really open tournament, with quite a few genuine major contenders as well as teams would could cause a major surprise. It should be fascinating. TH
Talking about soccer, watching beautiful and clean games, with sportsmanship, fair plays and no dirty plays. That’s what I hope to see, anyway. M
Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Colombia fans were already out in force to cheer on their team at Kazan airport. Photograph: Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images
What are you most concerned about, on or off the pitch?
This might be the worst prediction of them all, but I don’t think there will be the racism or riots that people fear. We heard similar before Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland, plus other scare stories before the World Cups in South Africa and Brazil, but it tends to be different in the big tournaments. DT
The inevitable shambles and confusion which will be VAR. DF
The only thing any football hack ever really worries about is the wi-fi. Will it be good? Will it come and go? Will it fade at kick-off? I’m worrying about it right now. BR
Having been in Marseille for England versus Russia, digging out the old Italia ‘90 “No All Violenza” T-shirt and hoping for a peaceful tournament. AL
Leave it to VAR: World Cup linesmen told not to flag for tight offsides Read more
VAR leading to confusion inside the stadiums and, potentially, killing the emotion of big moments. DH
The battery life on my new mobile phone. Any incomplete answers in here are down to the fact my phone died while trying to file. SJ
That we will spend the next five weeks talking exhaustively about decisions made by Video Assistant Referees. MK
Connection issues and late goals. Long distances. Cyrillic script. On the pitch: teams turning defensive when it gets decisive. SL
That all the talk about security and organisation will overshadow the football. As a Fifa ambassador l have visited many stadiums, met many Russians, and l am confident in the capacity of Russia to run a great tournament. MD
Vladimir Putin and Gianni Infantino appearing on our television screens more often than the actual players. TH
Ugly incidents between supporters. Sport is not a tool for spreading hatred and disagreement but rather love, passion, and unity. M
