Manchester United’s Nemanja Matic of Serbia will be hoping to disobey club coach José Mourinho in Russia. Asked who he tipped to go through from Group E, Mourinho picked Switzerland and Brazil. He said: “I want my players to win but I also want my players to go on holiday. I’m sorry Nemanja, but you need a holiday.”
Photograph: Matthias Hangst/Fifa via Getty Images
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
Media playback is not supported on this device Watch the BBC World Cup titles
2018 Fifa World Cup Venue: Russia Dates: 14 June-15 July Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, Red Button and iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app; listen on Radio 5 live; follow text updates online.
The 2018 Fifa World Cup gets under way on Thursday when hosts Russia face Saudi Arabia following an opening ceremony at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.
Football's showpiece event features 32 teams, including holders Germany, competing in 64 games over 32 days.
The 21st edition will be played out in 12 stadiums, across 11 cities, spread over 1,800 miles.
England, winners in 1966, are the only team from the home nations to qualify and start against Tunisia on 18 June.
Media playback is not supported on this device Watch: BBC's World Cup 2018 trailer
Germany, who defeated Argentina in the 2014 final, are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cups since 1962, while Brazil seek a record-extending sixth world title.
The month-long tournament is expected to attract one and a half million fans to Russia and an estimated global television audience of over three billion viewers.
There are eight groups, each containing four teams, with the top two advancing to the last 16. The final takes place at the 81,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium on 15 July (16:00 BST).
Who will win the World Cup?
World Cup holders Germany, five-time winners Brazil, Euro 2016 winners Portugal, 2014 runners-up Argentina, Belgium, Poland and 1998 winners France are among the eight seeded teams.
Hosts Russia are also seeded, even though they are the tournament's lowest-placed team - 70th - in Fifa's world rankings.
England, who have won only one of their past eight World Cup matches, are unseeded, as are 2010 champions Spain.
Media playback is not supported on this device World Cup moments: Glory for Gotze
Germany have reached at least the semi-finals in each of the past four editions of the competition and, after being the only team to progress through European qualifying with a 100% record, are expected to be in the shake-up again. They are in Group F with Mexico, Sweden and South Korea.
"Germany will be hunted like never before," said head coach Joachim Low. "Only us, as world champions, have anything to lose."
Brazil are the only nation to have appeared at every single World Cup but they have not won the tournament since 2002, while you have to go back to 1958 to the last time they won it on European soil.
Yet the Brazilians will fancy their chances, particularly as Neymar, who cost a world record £200m when he moved from Barcelona to Paris St-Germain in August 2017, has returned to action after a broken foot.
Media playback is not supported on this device Relive all the goals from World Cup 2014
Spain feature several Champions League winners from Real Madrid in their squad as they look to recapture the magic that saw them crowned world champions eight years ago and European champions in 2008 and 2012.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo will be hoping for a first World Cup winners' medal after helping Portugal win Euro 2016, while Lionel Messi is hoping to win a first major trophy with Argentina.
France boast a young, exciting squad which includes 19-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe as well as a number of familiar Premier League names including Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba and Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud.
How are England expected to perform?
Media playback is not supported on this device England looking forward to getting on with it - Southgate
The closest England have come to repeating their feat of 1966 is a semi-final appearance at Italia 90.
With an average age of 26 years and 18 days, the Three Lions have the third-youngest squad in Russia.
Only three of Gareth Southgate's 23 players are aged 30 or over - defenders Gary Cahill and Ashley Young, both 32, and 31-year-old forward Jamie Vardy - while defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is the youngest at 19.
Cahill, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, Danny Welbeck and Phil Jones are the only survivors from the squad that finished bottom of their group at the 2014 World Cup under Roy Hodgson.
After their opening game in Volgograd (16:00 BST), England face World Cup debutants Panama in Nizhny Novgorod on 24 June (13:00 BST) before rounding off their Group G campaign in Kaliningrad against Belgium four days later (19:00 BST).
While England comfortably qualified for Russia - and enjoyed friendly victories over Nigeria and Costa Rica in recent weeks - former Three Lions captain Alan Shearer does not believe they will win the tournament.
Current skipper Harry Kane is more upbeat.
"It's impossible not to dream about lifting the World Cup. I believe we can win it - anyone can," said the Tottenham forward.
Media playback is not supported on this device 'It's not an excuse that we're young' - England captain Kane
One thing England will have to address if they want to go far is their poor record at the knockout stage in major competitions.
They have not won a knockout match at a tournament since defeating Ecuador in the last 16 of the 2006 World Cup.
"Yes, we have a great record when it comes to qualifying, but since the 2010 World Cup our record at finals has been poor," added Shearer, who played alongside Southgate at the 1998 World Cup.
"That's why we should concentrate on getting out of our group first before we worry too much about who we could face in the next round, because doing that has been difficult enough in the past."
Who are the new boys?
Panama and Iceland will be competing at their first World Cup, which is held every four years.
With a population of approximately 335,000 people, Iceland are the smallest nation ever to qualify.
They will hope to repeat their exploits of two years ago, when they lit up Euro 2016 by reaching the quarter-finals in their first appearance at a major tournament, humiliating England en route.
Iceland's first game in Russia is against 2014 runners-up Argentina on 16 June.
A national holiday was declared in Panama after they qualified for the World Cup for the first time.
The Central American country, 55th in Fifa's world rankings, boast an experienced coach in Hernan Dario Gomez, who was in charge of his native Colombia at the 1998 World Cup and Ecuador at the 2002 edition.
Media playback is not supported on this device The streets of Panama City were filled with people celebrating
There are several teams back on the world stage after lengthy absences.
Peru return to the finals for the first time since 1982, while north African nations Egypt and Morocco are back for the first time in 28 and 20 years respectively.
However, there are some notable absentees.
Four-time winners Italy, South American champions Chile and African champions Cameroon all failed to qualify.
The Netherlands, runners-up in 2010, also missed out while the United States are absent for the first time since 1986.
Referees to get VAR help
Video assistant referees (VAR) will be making a debut at the World Cup.
The technology will be used to help officials avoid making potentially match-deciding mistakes when it comes to such important issues as awarding goals, penalties or red cards.
VAR has been trialled in some domestic English cup games this season, and has been used in Germany and Italy.
"We wanted to give the referees tools so they can make better decisions, and in the World Cup some very important decisions are made," said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
"It's not possible that in 2018 everyone in their living room knows a few seconds after the play whether a referee has made a mistake and the referee doesn't."
VAR was first used at the Club World Cup in December 2016, and trialled in the 2017 Confederations Cup.
Media playback is not supported on this device VAR - The story so far...
Fan safety and security
Russia is hoping to put on a tournament to remember after beating England - as well as joint bids by Spain and Portugal, and the Netherlands and Belgium - to stage the tournament for the first time.
While about 10,000 England fans are expected to travel to Russia, a number are likely to stay away because of political tensions between the two countries and safety issues.
There were violent clashes when Russian fans charged England supporters in the stadium when the two countries played each other in Marseille at Euro 2016. Trouble was also reported in the city's streets between England, Russia and France fans.
"One thing supporters need to do when they go is be a good guest, behave themselves," said Mark Roberts, Britain's lead officer for football policing.=
Deputy Chief Constable Roberts warned acts of disorder will carry "severe" sentences in Russia although Alexei Smertin, the anti-discrimination chief of Russia 2018, played down concerns and said the atmosphere around World Cup venues will be friendly.
"It definitely won't be stressful and we let everyone feel comfortable and safe in our country," said the former Chelsea midfielder, capped 55 times by Russia.
How to follow the World Cup on the BBC
The BBC is the only destination for coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on television, radio and online.
We will have 33 matches televised live while BBC Radio 5 live will provide live commentary of all the games.
England's first two World Cup matches will be shown exclusively live on the BBC, starting with the game against Tunisia on Monday, 18 June, and then the match versus Panama on Sunday, 24 June.
Before the tournament starts, a World Cup preview show will be broadcast on BBC One at 22:45 BST on Wednesday, 13 June.
Meanwhile, fans will be able to watch the tournament in Ultra HD and virtual reality as BBC Sport trials cutting-edge technology.
Users will be transported to a fully immersive stadium experience, through headsets, as if they are sitting in their own hospitality box.
All 33 matches broadcast by the BBC will be available for free on BBC Sport's VR 2018 World Cup app, and the 29 matches on BBC One will also be available in Ultra HD.
Fans will be able to watch every match broadcast by the BBC from the corporation's virtual reality sofa
Ultra HD TV can be accessed through a high-speed internet connection and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The HD stream will be available from the BBC iPlayer home screen as soon as programme coverage begins but the number of users granted access will be limited to "tens of thousands of people".
Click here for a comprehensive guide on how to follow the World Cup across the BBC
Media playback is not supported on this device World Cup 2018: BBC Sport pundits predict who will win and which players will shine
2018 Fifa World Cup on the BBC Host: Russia Dates: 14 June - 15 July Live: Coverage across BBC TV, BBC Radio and BBC Sport website with further coverage on Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app.
The 2018 Fifa World Cup starts in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Thursday and finishes at the same venue on 15 July.
Thirty-two teams will contest the tournament, including hosts Russia, holders Germany and five-time winners Brazil.
But who will get their hands on the famous gold trophy this time? Which outsiders will spring a surprise? And how will England do?
Here, BBC Sport's TV and radio football presenters and pundits predict what will happen during the next four weeks...
Who will win the World Cup?
Media playback is not supported on this device Watch: BBC's World Cup 2018 trailer
Gary Lineker: History tells us that it's normally a European team who wins when the World Cup is on this continent - and there are some very strong European teams at the moment.
Germany are always a threat and won't be far away, while France have got some amazing players and will have a chance if they can get it together - but, if I had to pick someone, I would go with Spain. They have a tremendous depth to their squad and are technically brilliant as always.
Outside of that, Brazil are always contenders - but I don't like the way they play at the moment, it's a bit negative. I hope they don't play with three holding midfielders, which they have been using lately.
Kevin Kilbane: Spain, because the way they play as a collective is the best brand of football, and many of their big players are used to winning major tournaments at club level.
Alan Shearer: I am going to go for experience, and I am going to go with Brazil. I am expecting especially big things from Gabriel Jesus, who is young, fresh and energetic.
Media playback is not supported on this device Brazil 1-7 Germany: The night Brazil collapsed in the 2014 World Cup semi-final
Mark Lawrenson: I think putting the 7-1 Germany defeat in the 2014 semi-finals behind them is the big thing for Brazil. It is almost like they need to exorcise the ghost of that defeat for the entire country.
They had a similar sort of redemption when they won the 2002 World Cup after losing the 1998 final. Ronaldo made amends then by scoring two goals in the final, and I am sure Neymar visualises himself doing the same in Russia and helping Brazil win it.
They have got so many players who can cause teams problems and their coach, Tite, seems to be able to get the best out of them. I still don't think they are brilliant defensively - but who is?
Lawro will be predicting the outcome of every game throughout the tournament in his World Cup predictions.
Chris Sutton: You just cannot rule out the moody Blues of France. As usual, it will be triumph or disaster - there will be nothing in between - but they have got some talented players. If they click - and it is a big if - they are my tips.
Frank Lampard: France and Belgium might be the two strongest sides in the tournament in terms of individuals but I would go with Germany to win it because of how good they are as a team.
They also have a winning mentality. They will come into the tournament thinking they are going to win it, while we are doubting ourselves. That means a lot at this level.
Rio Ferdinand: I don't think there's a clear front-runner. France have got the talent but I'm leaning towards Germany because of their experience.
Media playback is not supported on this device World Cup 2014: Germany 1-0 Argentina (aet) highlights
Alex Scott: Germany have got the right blend of young players coming through, alongside the ones who have been there and won it before. They will find a way to get it done.
Jermaine Jenas: I will be surprised if Germany don't win it. They showed the depth they have by winning the Confederations Cup last year with what I would call their B team and they have always been so consistent at major finals.
They get themselves into a position where it doesn't come down to a bit of luck. They will be in Russia to seize the moment.
Who will win the 2018 World Cup? Germany (5): Rio Ferdinand, Jermaine Jenas, Frank Lampard, Gabby Logan, Alex Scott Brazil (2): Mark Lawrenson, Alan Shearer Spain (2): Kevin Kilbane, Gary Lineker France (1): Chris Sutton
How will England do?
Media playback is not supported on this device BBC pundits on England's chances in Russia
Alan Shearer: I cannot make a case for us winning it, or reaching the final. I also don't think it will be as easy for us to get out of our group as everyone seems to believe either, but I do expect us to do that.
What I want to see is improvement from two years ago, which should not be too difficult because the way we went out of Euro 2016 against Iceland was pretty embarrassing. If we can come away having given everything then I will be happy and I think the majority of fans will be too.
It is a huge tournament for Harry Kane, especially because he struggled in France. He is already known around Europe but to put himself on a world stage he has to perform this summer.
One word to sum up England's prospects in Russia? Hopeful.
Media playback is not supported on this device England players must believe - Walker
Gary Lineker: In four years' time, we are going to be massively competitive but at the moment it is a big ask to win a World Cup with a totally inexperienced team with obvious areas of weakness.
We have bags of firepower but we are a little bit short in midfield and at the back and I am worried about the goalkeeper. But if we got to the knockout stage and we could win a match - we have not done that since 2006 - then that would be a step in the right direction.
One word to sum up England's prospects in Russia? Precarious.
Gabby Logan: The quarter-finals were not enough in 2002 or 2006 because we wanted more, but this time they would be a success.
One word to sum up England's prospects in Russia? Measured.
Media playback is not supported on this device The making of England's Dele Alli
Chris Sutton: We should be excited because England have a chance of winning the World Cup. They are a young team with match-winners like Kane and Dele Alli and there is no pressure on them.
If they start the tournament well, and gather a bit of momentum in the group stage then with knockout football you never know what could happen.
One word to sum up England's prospects in Russia? Optimistic.
Frank Lampard: We have got lots of ability in the attacking areas with the youth and invention of Alli, Jesse Lingard and Raheem Sterling.
I think we will get out of our group and the quarter-finals should be the minimum target, even with the young squad we have got.
One word to sum up England's prospects in Russia? Hopeful.
Media playback is not supported on this device 50 Great World Cup moments: Michael Owen stuns Argentina - 1998
Rio Ferdinand: We have a very inexperienced young squad and I am excited to see how they take to senior tournament football.
Can we have another Michael Owen-type goal, one that announces someone on this worldwide stage? If we get a moment like that, then the World Cup will have been a success.
In terms of how far we will go, is it feasible we will play Belgium in our final group game, knowing we are already through? Based on history, no.
How these players deal with the pressure is the main thing. Reaching the quarter-finals would make it a good tournament - there would still be room for improvement but they would have shown the mettle to get that far, which would be encouraging for the future.
One word to sum up England's prospects in Russia? Exciting.
Jermaine Jenas: I genuinely feel that England are a dark horse because I don't feel as if the rest of the world really respect us that much on this sort of stage.
I think they feel as though we fall apart and the pressure gets to us, but there is a real togetherness in the squad and I actually have a feeling we might surprise a few people.
A lot of people are expecting the quarter-finals at best but we can go further if we perform well, and get a little bit of luck too.
For that to happen Harry Kane has to be electric, and play the way he has been playing in the Premier League - he is our special ingredient who can score goals out of absolutely anything.
One word to sum up England's prospects in Russia? Intriguing.
Media playback is not supported on this device Pat Nevin on why England must play to their strengths at World Cup
Alex Scott: For me, Kane is the key - we need his goals, his leadership and his presence as well - but we will need big performances from a handful of players, not just the one.
I am excited about the team, though. I have been plotting our route if we get out of the group stage and, potentially, we can play Brazil in the quarter-finals (if both teams win their groups).
On paper, you would say we would have no chance there but, in a one-off game, anything is possible.
One word to sum up England's prospects in Russia? Hopeful.
Who will be the surprise package?
Chris Sutton: Other than England, I think Uruguay will do well after finishing second behind Brazil in the South American qualifying section.
Their centre-half pairing of Diego Godin and Jose Maria Jimenez are very strong for Atletico Madrid and with Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani they have got goalscorers too.
Media playback is not supported on this device Lukaku scores for Belgium at World Cup
Alex Scott: I am going for Belgium. Every tournament we talk about them and think this might be the one for them - but the difference now is that their golden generation has got some experience of major finals. If there is ever a time for them to make an impact at a World Cup, this is it.
Frank Lampard: We all expect Argentina and Brazil to do well but one of the other South American teams could have a run. Colombia have some good individual players and will be tough to beat.
