Russia will host the 21st World Cup finals where 32 teams from across the world will be fighting to capture the iconic FIFA World Cup trophy on July 15, 2018.
However, there are some interesting facts that a sports fan should have on his fingertips as the football fiesta begins on Thursday at 6 pm where the host Russia will face Saudi Arabia in the tournament opener.
Here are the facts.
1. This will be the penultimate World Cup with 32 nations. From 2026 onwards there will be 48 teams.
2. Iceland and Panama have qualified for their first ever World Cup.
3. The distance between the easternmost (Kaliningrad) and westernmost (Ekaterinburg) host cities in Russia is about the same as the distance between Moscow and London (2,424 kilometers, 1,500 miles).
4. Germany are aiming to become the first nation to win back-to-back titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
5. Every World Cup has been won by a coach who is the same nationality as his team. Could this be the year England wins it?
6. Russia (not the USSR) have never made it out of the group stage at a World Cup. Perhaps home advantage will help?
7. Iceland is the smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup (just 334,000 inhabitants). Size doesn't matter.
8. The 2018 opener will make history, perhaps not for intended reasons, as it becomes the first World Cup opener to be played by the two lowest-ranked teams in the competition (Russia 65th, Saudia Arabia 63rd).
9. Referees will also have the right to stop or abandon a game if racist or other discriminatory incidents occur.
10. A deaf cat called Achilles who resides at a St. Petersburg museum is to predict the outcomes of World Cup games, after getting all but one right at the Confederations Cup last year. How cool is that?
Please enjoy the fiesta and also remember to bet responsibly, July is not far and bills must be paid.
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