2018 FIFA World Cup draw and fixture

Anticipation has been building for weeks and finally the long wait is over as the awaited draw is here as all 32 Russia bound teams now know their opponents but which team you think secured the group of death?

Germany are the holders and the favorites for the competition, although Brazil are pushing them close after such an impressive qualifying campaign.

The easiest group? It will stun no one, since it routinely comes to pass, but it’s the one with the host country in it. But then, avoiding all the other teams in Pot 1 means that advantage is usually baked in a little bit beforehand. 

Russia, England and France got favorable draws, but they were not alone in that.

Hardest groups? That’s probably B and D? 

Portugal will play its neighbor Spain in Group B, while Argentina drew one of the tougher first-round groups, as it was paired with Croatia, Iceland and it's usual foes in Nigeria.

This is also the third straight World Cup that has placed Nigeria and Argentina in the same first-round group, and the fifth over all. (Marriage from Heaven?) 

Mexico, the Concacaf champion, will play Germany, Sweden and South Korea in Group F.

The draw winners at first glance seems to be Russia, Uruguay, England and France? Only time will tell.

GROUP A: Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia
GROUP B: Portugal, Spain, Iran, Morocco
GROUP C: France, Peru, Denmark, Australia
GROUP D: Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria
GROUP E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia
GROUP F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea
GROUP G: Belgium, England, Tunisia, Panama
GROUP H: Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Japan

The #WorldCupDraw is complete. Who will lift the trophy next summer? pic.twitter.com/16PJgFIZUO

— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) December 1, 2017

Knockout stage

The 16 remaining teams will form a single-elimination bracket. Here are the group matchups:
Match 49: Winner Group A vs. Runner-up Group B
Match 50: Winner Group C vs. Runner-up Group D
Match 51: Winner Group E vs. Runner-up Group F
Match 52: Winner Group G vs. Runner-up Group H
Match 53: Winner Group B vs. Runner-up Group A
Match 54: Winner Group D vs. Runner-up Group C
Match 55: Winner Group F vs. Runner-up Group E
Match 56: Winner Group H vs. Runner-up Group G 

Quarterfinals
Match 57: Winner of Match 49 (A/B) vs. Winner of Match 50 (C/D)
Match 58: Winner of Match 51 (E/F) vs. Winner of Match 52 (G/H)
Match 59: Winner of Match 53 (B/A) vs. Winner of Match 54 (D/C)
Match 60: Winner of Match 55 (F/E) vs. Winner of Match 56 (H/G)

Semifinals
Match 61: Winner of Match 57 vs. Winner of Match 58
Match 62: Winner of Match 59 vs. Winner of Match 60

Third-place game
Loser of Match 61 vs. Loser of Match 62

Final
Winner of Match 61 vs. Winner of Match 62