World Cup Match 1 Preview : Russia vs Saudi Arabia Expected Lineups, Telecast Details & More
The kick off for the FIFA World Cup 2018 is going to take place in Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow on 14th of June. Being the host nation in this world cup Russia got direct qualification for the world cup and Saudi Arabia qualifies as one of the lowest rank team in the competition. After 2006 they are going to make their first appearance in the world cup and they didn’t win a game since 1994. Other teams from Group A are ready to give good competition to both of these two clubs. Egypt and Uruguay are the favourites among all in Group A so both Russia and Saudi Arabia will have to play in a wise way and to take every opportunity that is possible if they want to move to the next round.
With kick off scheduled for 4pm UK time, the opening ceremony will begin just 30 minutes before the start of the game.
Team News:
Saudi Arabia:
Osama Hawsawi is the central back for the team for a long period of time. He has been playing for Al-Hilal and has made 135 appearances for his nation so it could be a good support in their defense to stop the opponents from scoring goals.
The Al-Nassr striker Mohammad Al-Sahlawi is a prolific goal scorer and has the ability to score goal in any different way. He has scored 28 goals in his 40 national appearances, he can score a goal any position if a small place is allowed by the opponent.
Fahad Al-Muwallad the 23 years old young midfielder will be very much exciting to watch him play in this world cup. He has appeared in 45 games for his national team, he is currently playing in a Spanish club Levante on loan. He is short in height and got quick feet and he is the one who scored the goal for Saudi Arabia what helped them to qualify for the World Cup 2018.
Probable Lineups
A. Al-Maiouf, Y.Al-Shahrani, Osama Hawsawi, Omar Hawsawi, M. Al-Harbi, A. Otayf, Y. Al-Shehri, T. Al-Jassim, S. Al-Faraz, S. Al-Dawsari, F. Al-Sahlawi.
Russia:
Igor Akinfeev will be the having the captain’s arm band for Russia in this world cup. He is the first choice keeper for the team. The midfielder Igor Denisov will not be playing the world cup so the captainship duty will be done by the talented CSK Moscow keeper Igor Akinfeev and this could be a success for the team. Alan Dzagoev the CSK Moscow central midfielder can be another key player for the team to perform well in this world cup. Akinfeev has appeared in more than 100 games for the national team and close to Sergei Ignashevich who has played 123 games.
The 22 years old midfielder Aleksandr Golovin is another player who can put an impact in the game against Saudi Arabia. Presently he is playing in CSK Moscow but he has been linked with Barcelona and Arsenal in last two transfer windows.
Some of the great players like Ignashevich, Vasili, Alexei Berezutskiy all of them have taken retirement from the national team and it has made a problem for the coach to bring their replacement. It is acting like a major headache for the coach to bring players of same quality as them.
Probable Lineups:
I.Akinfeev, I. Smolnikov, I. Kutepov, S. Ignashevich, A. Samedov, R.Zobnin, Y. Gazinskiy, Y. Zhirkov, A. Dzagoev, A. Golovin, F. Smolov.
Telecast Details
Afghanistan Ariana TV
Albania RTSH 1
Algeria beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 2, beIN MAX 1
American Samoa SportsMax App
Andorra beIN Sports 1
Angola SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport Live, SS13, SuperSport 10, SLGO
Argentina Canal de las Estrellas, DIRECTV Sports Argentina, DIRECTV Play Deportes, Canal 7 TV Publica
Armenia Armenia TV
Aruba SportsMax App, DIRECTV Sports Caribbean
Australia Optus Sport, SBS Live, SBS Radio 2, SBS, SBS Arabic 24, SBS Radio 1
Austria ARD Das Erste, ORF eins, ORF TV Live, SRF zwei, Sky Sport UHD Germany, OE24, Sky Go Deutschland
Azerbaijan Idman TV, Ictimai TV
Bahamas DIRECTV Sports Caribbean, SportsMax App
Bahrain beIN MAX 1, beIN MAX 2, beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Bangladesh PTV Sports, SONY TEN 3, SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 2 HD, SONY TEN 3 HD, Sony LIV, Sony ESPN, Sony ESPN HD
Barbados DIRECTV Sports Caribbean, SportsMax App
Belarus Belarus 5
Belgium La Une, Één, Sporza Live, RTBF Auvio Direct
Benin SS13, SLGO, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport Live, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 10
Bermuda SportsMax App
Bhutan SONY TEN 3 HD, Sony LIV, SONY TEN 2 HD, Sony ESPN, Sony ESPN HD
Bolivia Tigo Sports Bolivia, Red Uno, COTAS Televisión, Red Unitel
Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba SportsMax App
Bosnia and Herzegovina BHT 1, HRT 2
Botswana SuperSport Live, SuperSport 10, Kwesé Live, SuperSport 14, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, SS13, Kwesé Free Sports, SLGO, SuperSport 3 Africa
Brazil SporTV Play, Globo, Fox Sports 2 Brazil, SporTV, FOX Sports 1 Brasil, FOX Play Brasil
British Virgin Islands SportsMax App
Brunei Astro Go
Bulgaria BNT HD, BNT 1
Burkina Faso SuperSport 3 Africa, SS13, SLGO, SuperSport 10, SuperSport Live, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 14
Burundi SuperSport 14, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SS13, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport 10, SuperSport Live, SLGO
Cambodia MyTV Channel, CTN, CNC Cambodia
Cameroon SuperSport 14, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 10, SS13, StarTimes App, SLGO
Canada TSN5, RDS, RDS GO, TSN4, TSN GO, CTV, TSN Radio 1040 – 1410, CTV GO
Cape Verde SuperSport Live, SS13, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 3 Africa, SLGO, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 10
Cayman Islands SportsMax App
Central African Republic SS13, SuperSport 3 Africa, SLGO, SuperSport 14, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 10, SuperSport Live
Chad beIN MAX 2, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SLGO, SuperSport Live, SS13, beIN MAX 1, SuperSport 10, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa
Chile TVN, Canal 13, DIRECTV Sports Chile, Mega, DIRECTV Play Deportes, Movistar Play Chile
China CCTV-5, CCTV 5+ VIP
Colombia RCN Television, DIRECTV Sports Colombia, Deportes RCN En Vivo, DIRECTV Play Deportes
Comoros SuperSport 10, SLGO, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport Live
Congo SuperSport 10, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 14, SLGO, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 3 Africa, StarTimes App, SS13
Congo DR SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, StarTimes App, SuperSport 10, SuperSport Live, SLGO, SS13
Cook Islands Sky Sport 4 NZ
Costa Rica TD7, TD Mas, TDN, Teletica Radio, Sky HD, Movistar Play Costa Rica
Cote D’Ivoire SLGO, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 10, SuperSport Live, SS13, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 3 Africa
Croatia HRT 2
Curacao DIRECTV Sports Caribbean, SportsMax App
Cyprus RIK 2, CYBC Live
Czech Republic ČT Sport
Denmark TV2 Play Denmark, TV2 Denmark
Djibouti SuperSport 3 Africa, beIN MAX 1, SuperSport Live, SS13, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 10, SLGO, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, SuperSport 14, beIN MAX 2
Dominica SportsMax App
Dominican Republic SportsMax App, Sky HD
Ecuador DIRECTV Play Deportes, DIRECTV Sports Ecuador
Egypt beIN MAX 1, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 2
El Salvador Canal 4 El Salvador, TCS GO, Sky HD, TDN
Equatorial Guinea Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SS13, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport Live, SLGO, SuperSport 10
Eritrea SS13, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 10, SLGO, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa
Estonia ETV 1
Ethiopia SLGO, SuperSport 10, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 3 Africa, Kwesé Live, SuperSport 14, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, SS13
Faroe Islands TV2 Play Denmark, TV2 Denmark
Fiji Fiji One, Sky Sport 4 NZ
Finland YLE Live, YLE TV2
France TF1, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN Sports 2, TF1 Live, beIN Sports 1
French Guiana SportsMax App
Gabon SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 10, SLGO, SS13, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 14
Gambia SuperSport 3 Africa, SLGO, SuperSport 10, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 14, SuperSport Live, SS13
Georgia 1TV
Germany WDR Event, Sky Go Deutschland, Sportschau Live, ORF TV Live, ARD Das Erste, Sky Sport UHD Germany, ORF eins, SRF zwei
Ghana SuperSport 14, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, SuperSport 3 Africa, Kwesé Free Sports, SLGO, SuperSport 10, GTV Sports+, SS13, StarTimes App, Kwesé Live, SuperSport Live, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique
Greece ERT 1
Greenland TV2 Denmark
Grenada SportsMax App
Guam SportsMax App
Guatemala TDN, Azteca Guatemala, Tigo Sports Guatemala, Sky HD
Guinea SS13, SuperSport 14, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 10, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, StarTimes App, SLGO, SuperSport 3 Africa
Guinea-Bissau SS13, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport Live, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SLGO, SuperSport 10
Guyana SportsMax App
Haiti SportsMax App
Honduras Tigo Sports Honduras, TDN, Canal 7 Televicentro, Televicentro En Vivo, Sky HD
Hong Kong Now World Cup 1, ViuTV, Now TV
Hungary M4 Sports
Iceland RUV, RUV Radio
India Sony LIV, SONY TEN 2, Sony ESPN, SONY TEN 2 HD, Sony ESPN HD, SONY TEN 3, SONY TEN 3 HD
Indonesia Trans TV, UseeTV
Iran Channel 3, beIN MAX 1, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 2, IRIB Varzesh
Iraq beIN MAX 1, beIN MAX 2, beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Ireland ITV 1 UK, UTV, STV Scotland, The ITV Hub, RTE 2, RTE Player
Israel KAN 11
Italy Canale 5, Radio 105 Network, Mediaset Italia Live, RSI La 2
Jamaica SportsMax App
Japan NHK Japan
Jordan beIN MAX 2, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 1
Kazakhstan KAZsport
Kenya SuperSport 14, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 3 Africa, SS13, Kwesé Free Sports, SuperSport 10, StarTimes App, Kwesé Live, SLGO, Kwesé FIFA World Cup
Kiribati Sky Sport 4 NZ
Korea Republic SBS Korea, MBC Korea, KBS2 Korea, DMB TV
Kosovo RTK1
Kuwait beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 1, beIN MAX 2
Latvia LTV7 Latvia
Lebanon beIN MAX 2, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 1
Lesotho SuperSport 3 Africa, Kwesé Live, SS13, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 10, SLGO, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, SuperSport Live
Liberia SuperSport 10, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 3 Africa, SLGO, SuperSport 14, SS13
Libya beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 1, beIN MAX 2
Lithuania LRT, LRT Live Streaming
Macau TDM Desporto, ViuTV
Macedonia MRT1
Madagascar SS13, StarTimes App, SuperSport 10, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SLGO, SuperSport Live
Malawi StarTimes App, SLGO, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, Kwesé Live, SuperSport 10, SuperSport Live, Kwesé Free Sports, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SS13
Malaysia Astro Go, RTM TV2 , Astro FIFA World Cup 1 HD
Maldives Sony LIV, SONY TEN 2 HD, Sony ESPN HD, Sony ESPN, SONY TEN 3, SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 3 HD
Mali SuperSport Live, SLGO, SuperSport 14, SS13, SuperSport 10, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 3 Africa
Marshall Islands Sky Sport 4 NZ
Martinique SportsMax App
Mauritania beIN MAX 2, beIN MAX 1, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 14, SS13
Mauritius SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport Live, SLGO, SuperSport 10
Mexico Canal de las Estrellas, Televisa Deportes En Vivo, Blue To Go Video Everywhere, Azteca Deportes En Vivo, Sky HD, Azteca 7, TDN
Monaco beIN Sports 1
Mongolia MNB Sports
Montenegro TVCG 1, HRT 2
Montserrat SportsMax App
Morocco beIN MAX 2, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 1
Mozambique SS13, SuperSport Live, SLGO, StarTimes App, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 10, SuperSport 3 Africa
Myanmar Skynet Sports 6
Namibia SuperSport 10, Kwesé Free Sports, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 3 Africa, Kwesé Live, SLGO, SuperSport 14, SS13
Nauru Sky Sport 4 NZ
Nepal Sony ESPN HD, SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 2 HD, SONY TEN 3, Sony ESPN, Sony LIV, SONY TEN 3 HD
Netherlands NPO 1, Één
New Zealand Sky Sport 4 NZ, SKY Go NZ
Nicaragua TDN, Televicentro Nicaragua Canal 2, Movistar Play Nicaragua, Canal 10 Nicaragua, Sky HD
Niger SuperSport Live, SuperSport 14, SS13, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 10, SLGO, SuperSport 3 Africa
Nigeria SuperSport 3 Nigeria, StarTimes App, SuperSport 3 Africa, Kwesé Live, Kwesé Free Sports, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, SS13, SuperSport 10, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SLGO, SuperSport 14, SuperSport Live
Niue Sky Sport 4 NZ
Norway NRK Live, NRK1
Oman beIN MAX 1, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 2
Pakistan SONY TEN 3 HD, SONY TEN 2 HD, SONY TEN 2, Sony ESPN HD, Sony ESPN, SONY TEN 3, PTV Sports, Sony LIV
Palau Sky Sport 4 NZ
Palestinian Territory beIN MAX 1, beIN MAX 2, beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Panama TVN Radio 96.5, TDN, Sky HD, TVN2 Panama, TVMax 9, RPC Canal 4, Movistar Play Panama
Papua New Guinea Fiji One, EM TV
Paraguay SNT Paraguay, Telefuturo
Peru DIRECTV Sports Peru, Latina Televisión, DIRECTV Play Deportes
Philippines ABS-CBN Sports Action
Poland TVP1, TVP Sport Live Streaming
Portugal Sport TV LIVE, RTP Play, RTP 1, Antena 1 – RTP, Sport TV1
Puerto Rico SportsMax App
Qatar beIN MAX 1, beIN MAX 2, beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Romania TVR+ Live, TVR 1, TVR HD
Russia Channel One Russia, Channel One Russia Live, Sportbox.ru
Rwanda Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 3 Africa, SLGO, StarTimes App, SS13, SuperSport 10, Kwesé Free Sports, SuperSport 14, Kwesé Live, Kwesé FIFA World Cup
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines SportsMax App
Samoa Sky Sport 4 NZ
Sao Tome And Principe SLGO, SuperSport 10, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SS13, SuperSport Live
Saudi Arabia beIN MAX 2, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 1
Senegal SuperSport 3 Africa, SLGO, RTS 1, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 10, SS13, SuperSport Live
Serbia RTS 1, HRT 2
Seychelles SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport 14, SS13, SLGO, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 10
Sierra Leone Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport 10, SLGO, SS13, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 14
Singapore StarHub Go, Singtel FIFA World Cup 141, ABS-CBN Sports Action, oktoSports, Toggle, Singtel TV GO
Slovakia Jednotka, ČT Sport
Slovenia TV Slovenija 2, HRT 2
Solomon Islands Sky Sport 4 NZ
Somalia beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 2, beIN MAX 1, SS13, SuperSport 14
South Africa SuperSport Live, StarTimes App, SuperSport 14, SuperSport Maximo, SLGO, SABC 1, Maximo 360, SS13, SuperSport 3, SuperSport 10, SuperSport 3 Africa
South Sudan SuperSport Live, SS13, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, SuperSport 3 Africa, beIN MAX 2, SLGO, SuperSport 10, SuperSport 14, beIN MAX 1
Spain TeleCinco Espana, Mediaset Sport App
Sri Lanka Sony ESPN, SONY TEN 2 HD, SONY TEN 3 HD, SONY TEN 2, Sony LIV, Sony ESPN HD, SONY TEN 3
Sudan beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 2, beIN MAX 1, SS13, SuperSport 14
Swaziland SS13, SuperSport 10, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, Kwesé Live, SuperSport Live, SLGO, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport 14
Sweden SVT Play, SVT 1
Switzerland RTS Sport, ORF eins, SRF zwei, RTS Deux, RSI La 2
Syria beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Taiwan ELTA Sports 3
Tanzania SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport 10, SuperSport 14, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, StarTimes App, SuperSport Live, SS13, SLGO, Kwesé Live
Thailand Amarin Channel 34 , True Sport HD 3, Truevisions Live, Channel 5 Thailand
Togo SS13, SuperSport Live, SuperSport 10, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport 14, SLGO, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique
Tonga Sky Sport 4 NZ
Trinidad and Tobago SportsMax App, CNC3, DIRECTV Sports Caribbean
Tunisia beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 2, beIN MAX 1
Turkey TRT Spor Web TV, TRT 4K, Idman TV, TRT 1
Turks and Caicos Islands SportsMax App
Tuvalu Sky Sport 4 NZ
U.S. Virgin Islands SportsMax App
Uganda SuperSport Live, SuperSport 10, Kwesé Free Sports, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, StarTimes App, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SLGO, SS13
Ukraine Inter
United Arab Emirates beIN MAX 2, beIN MAX 1, beIN SPORTS CONNECT
United Kingdom STV Scotland, The ITV Hub, ITV 1 UK, UTV
United States Sling World Cup, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, Futbol de Primera Radio, Telemundo, FOX Network
Uruguay DIRECTV Sports Uruguay, Canal 10 Uruguay, DIRECTV Play Deportes, TeleDoce Uruguay, Monte Carlo TV Canal 4
Vanuatu Sky Sport 4 NZ
Venezuela DIRECTV Sports Venezuela, DIRECTV Play Deportes, Meridiano Television, Venevision
Vietnam VTV Go, VTV6
Western Sahara beIN MAX 1
Yemen beIN MAX 2, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN MAX 1
Zambia Kwesé Live, SuperSport 14, SLGO, SuperSport Live, SS13, SuperSport 3 Africa, Kwesé FIFA World Cup, StarTimes App, SuperSport 10, Kwesé Free Sports
Zimbabwe SLGO, SuperSport 10, SuperSport 14, SuperSport 3 Africa, SuperSport Live, SS13