Good spread of teams across the groups.
Last normal WC we'll ever see peeps.
Enjoy it!
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Good spread of teams across the groups.
Last normal WC we'll ever see peeps.
Enjoy it!
no real Group of Death to be honest
so using a dodgy time zone converter:
16 June 8 p.m. (Saturday) — France v Australia
22 June 1 a.m. (Friday) – Denmark v Australia
27 June 12 a.m. (Wednesday) — Australia v Peru
the France game on a Saturday night just seems too good to be true - I fear I may have made a mistake
the stadia we'll play in (taken from The Guardian, which includes pictures https://www.theguardian.com/football...tadiums-venues)
France game — Kazan Arena
Capacity: 45,379
Completed: July 2013
Cost: $439.7m
Games at Russia 2018 Group C, 16 June; Group B, 20 June; Group H, 24 June; Group F, 27 June; Round of 16, 30 June; Quarter-final, 6 July.
History lesson Kazan considers itself Russia’s “sporting capital” and the Kazan Arena is one of an impressive array of stylish, modern – and expensive – sporting facilities to have sprung up there in recent years. It was designed by Populous, the architects behind Wembley and the Emirates, and was built in time for the 2013 Summer Universiade, where it hosted football and athletics. As a sleek, modern facility it will serve the World Cup well – even if it will, amazingly, be one of the tournament’s oldest stadiums.
Star attraction Anyone who gets lost en route should just look for the high-definition screen – the world’s biggest outdoor one, organisers proudly proclaim – on the side of the stadium. It covers 4,030 square metres and will probably bear both competing nations’ flags on a given matchday. Those arriving from the air may want to appreciate the waterlily-themed roof of this riverside stadium.
Any hitches? Nothing major. The Confederations Cup was a successful dry run and the Russia v Iran friendly went off without any problems in October. Access could be better though: the stadium lies to the north-east of the city centre, away from the metro, and taxis were sometimes discouraged from operating in its vicinity during last summer’s tournament.
Legacy Rubin Kazan, the Russian Premier League side, moved to the Kazan Arena from the Communist-era Central Stadium – which is situated near the city centre and well worth visiting – in 2014 and will continue to be based there. In common with most of next summer’s stadiums there are plenty of seats to go round for club games: Kazan’s most recent home fixture, against CSKA Moscow, attracted 8,422 fans. In order to pay off the cost of a facility that ended up costing nearly three times more than the initially mooted $155m there will be an emphasis on hosting cultural and commercial events too – and if Kazan’s long-term ambitions bear fruit it could even host Olympic events one day.
Denmark game - Samara Arena
Capacity: 44,807
Completed: Early 2018 (expected)
Cost: $320m
Games hosted at Russia 2018: Group E, 17 June; Group A, 19 June; Group C, 21 June; Group A, 25 June; Group H, 28 June; Round of 16, 2 July; Quarter-final, 7 July.
History lesson Ground for the Cosmos Arena was broken in 2014. The project has been controversial locally and its originally mooted location on an island outside the city was rejected after heavy criticism. It has not been an easy ride towards construction although the end product should, amid an attractive green setting, be pleasing to the eye.
Star attraction This should be one of the tournament’s more striking venues. Samara is proud of its history as one of the primary hubs of the Soviet space programme and the 65m-high glass dome, which will be lit up at night, promises to be spectacular. The city itself should be an enjoyable visit – raw, energetic and beautifully situated at the confluence of the Samara and Volga rivers.
Any hitches? Samara is arguably the bad boy of Russia’s lagging stadium projects. It has been riddled with delays, while costs have soared and by mid-2015 it was already more than €40m over its original budget. That contributed to a change of constructor in early 2016. A number of tweaks to the original plan – including a downscaling of the dome, intended to be 80m high – had to be made to cut costs and prevent it falling further behind schedule, while in August a fire added to the many difficulties. It will be ready in time for the tournament, but the surrounding infrastructure will not have had much of a road test – presumably taxis and dedicated buses will be the most reliable means of getting there.
Legacy Local side Krylia Sovetov (whose name, wonderfully, means “Wings of the Soviets”) are expected to move there from their creaking Metallurg Stadium – which is itself worth a look if you can brave an iffy neighbourhood. They have been a yo-yo club recently but look on course for a return to the top flight next season. It is an old club with rich tradition but, even so, it would take some turnaround for them to fill the ground. A residential development is expected to surround the new structure in good time.
Peru game - Fisht Stadium
Capacity: 47,659
Completed: December 2013
Cost: $519m
Games hosted at Russia 2018: Group B, 15 June; Group G, 18 June; Group F, 23 June; Group C, 26 June; Round of 16, 30 June; Quarter-final, 7 July.
History lesson This venue is no stranger to big events, having been conceived and delivered for the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. When it hosts the World Cup it will become the second stadium – along with Turin’s Stadio Olimpico – to have held both events. Four Confederations Cup games were held here and Russia drew 3-3 with Belgium in a friendly eight months ago.
Star attraction The view beyond the stadium’s open north end, taking in the Krasnaya Polyana mountains, will be something to behold, while the Black Sea is visible to the south. It is a spectacular location and the sweeping roofs of its two main stands are certainly dramatic.
Any hitches? Nothing significant where the World Cup is concerned, although it needed some expensive reconfigurations – notably the removal of its roof – to comply with Fifa regulations. The biggest issue may be its location, around 18 miles from the centre of Sochi, although supporters coped during a successful run at the Confederations Cup.
Legacy It is certainly hard to see too much week-to-week activity taking part here after the World Cup, with Sochi’s only professional football team currently on a self-imposed one-year break having previously failed to make waves in the third tier. Even when they did compete, their crowds were generally tiny. The annual maintenance cost of the stadium could reach $8m so international games and training camps will be among the events relied upon to fill the void. Its capacity will be reduced when the tournament is over, although reports vary as to by how much.
Interesting draw. Most groups seem to give all teams a chance to progress. You can definitely notice the quality of teams missing but.
Italy, Chile, Netherlands, USA would all make it a lot more difficult.
As for us, any group was going to be difficult but we can get out of there group if things go right. No expectations but plenty of hope!
Let’s just face it, it’s the World Cup which means a month of football! Love it!
Good draw
It about time we got a decent bit of luck at the draw of one of these events
Can beat all 3 of these teams
Too much positivity here people it's making me uncomfortable.
France to smash us 4-0
Eriksen to score 3 against us alone
Snatch a draw against Peru
France have enough options in attack to score a few past us no matter how good we play. Just being real.
Denmark is tough as heck but if we shut down Erickson and play out of our skin we might get a point.
I guess if France beat Denmark and we beat Peru we have a chance of squeeking through.. But logical me is looking at our forward options and saying "well, we made to the world cup. Thats enough isn't it."
Confident we can get out of the group... but only onto a plane home.
we just need another French implosion in the group stage, refusing to get off the bus, huge egos having sulking hussy fits, manager consulting horoscopes for team selections - they've done it before, they can do it again
Hahaha we are garbage.
Could have got Gypos, Fiji and Wakanda and we wouldn’t get through.
Pull yourselves together lads, it’s 3 quick games then don’t forget your duty free Vodka and Winnie Reds on the way back home.
After seeing the draw Ange might want his job back.
France don't worry me because they are beatable
I don't see us beating Germany or Spain or Brazil or Argentina at all
Even if we have a great game and they off the pace they have enough class to pull something out to deprive us a win
The French on the other hand are likely to implode like the Dutch have before in WCs
Look at their frontline options
Grizemann Giroud Martial Mbappe Lacazette Payet Dembele Gamerio
Sure as shit they have players to rip us a new one.
But..... They can't take all of them. There is going to be plenty of pissed off players with bent egos when their mates don't get selected or they riding the bench or playing out of position to accommodate someone else
Add in the reality they have a pretty diverse ethnic make up which could also implode on racial or cultural lines at any stage
This is why they a great draw for us
They may not be on their game when we play them and if they are I doubt they will unite together like Spain Germany Brazil etc would do
Coulda been a little better - one the last two groups were the best chances. So wanted the always imploding English.
But no Germany, no Brazil, no Spain.
And no Argies or Portugal - imagine the fun Messi, Aguero or Ronaldo would have with our defence!
Also how poor did it look to have a big photo of all the national team coaches....and we had nobody?