International Football Tournament, the 2018 World Cup, commences in Russia, excluding participation from the United States
The 2018 FIFA World Cup is set to begin on Thursday, with 32 teams competing in Russia. Among the favourites to win the tournament is Brazil, who are listed as a 7-2 betting favourite by SportsLine.
The host country, Russia, will be joined by several other nations making their World Cup debuts, including Iceland. The smallest country by population ever to qualify for the World Cup, Iceland made a remarkable run in the Euros two years ago and will be eager to repeat their success.
One team returning to the World Cup after a 36-year absence is Peru, led by their leading scorer and captain, Paolo Guerrero. Guerrero's participation in the tournament was in doubt due to a doping suspension, but a Swiss court temporarily lifted the ban, allowing him to play.
Mexico qualified for the World Cup with a record of 6-3-1 and could improve U.S. soccer culture with a strong performance. The U.S. missed out on qualifying for the tournament, but the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in North America, will give the USMNT an opportunity to show their readiness.
Spain, another popular pick among international media, is without their manager, who was fired just two days before their opener against Portugal. Sporting director Fernando Hierro will take over for the World Cup.
Germany, who won the tournament in 2014, is another favourite to win this year's tournament. However, their performance will be closely watched, given their controversial dismissal of coach Joachim Low just before the tournament.
The knockout stage will start on June 30, leading to the final on July 15 in Moscow. Fox and FS1 will handle the English broadcasts for the tournament.
(Note: The article also discusses UFC's Conor McGregor, but it is not directly related to the World Cup.)
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