Thread: FIFA World CUP Russia 2018

While Billy Hill seems blocked due to lack of wagering interets inLOS , Senor Patrick powers on the Irish website offers opinions on who will win.England at 20 Krauts faves at fives
http://www.paddypower.com/football/i...world-cup-2018

Times venues
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia? - FIFA.com

LES reports

The World Cup is drawing ever nearer as the qualifiers draw to a close.
The identity of all competing countries will be known by the middle of November as teams spread across five or six continents vie for 31 places alongside the host nation.
The biggest sporting event in the world heads to Russia for the first time next summer and will mark an end to a number of tournament traditions.
Bucking the trend of alternating between a European host and one outside, Russia is followed by Qatar in 2022 and with it a move away from the European summer months to a later date due to the fierce Middle East weather.
Before then, however, 64 games will take place in 11 Russian cities across 32 days next summer.
(AFP/Getty Images)

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When is the World Cup?

The 21st Fifa World Cup starts on Thursday, June 14, 2018 and runs until July 15, 2018.
Hosts Russia, who will be the first team drawn in Group A (otherwise known as 'A1'), will face 'A2' in the opening game at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Kick-off is scheduled for 6pm local time (4pm BST).

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When are the games being played?

From Friday, June 15, there will be a minimum of three group games per day until Thursday, June 28 when the group stage concludes. UK kick-off times for group stage games will be 1pm, 4pm and 7pm.

• READ MORE

Which teams have qualified for FIFA World Cup 2018?
The busiest day will be June 15 with four games, with the first kicking off at 11am in the UK.
The first rest day is on Friday, June 29 before four days of round-of-16 action. The quarter-finals take place on July 6 and 7, the semi-finals on July 10 and 11 and the third-place game on July 14.
The final will take place on Sunday, July 15 at the Luzhniki Stadium at 6pm local time (4pm BST).
You can view and download the full official Fifa schedule here.

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(Bongarts/Getty Images)Where will the games be played?

The World Cup is to take place across 12 stadiums in 11 cities across four different time zones. Ten of the 12 stadia have either been built for the tournament or within the previous five years.
The Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, with its 81,000 capacity, will host the opening game, three further group games, the third round-of-16 game, the second semi-final and the final.
The 68,000-seater Krestobsky Stadium, in Saint Petersburg, will also host seven games, including the first semi-final and the third-place game.
Bizarrely, the Ekaterinburg Arena has had its capacity increased from 27,000 - below the requirement to host a World Cup match - by constructing a stadium outside the ground.

In Pictures | World Cup 2018 stadiums and locations








25show all

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Which teams have qualified so far?

Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, Egypt, England, Germany, Iceland, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia (hosts), Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Spain.

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When is the World Cup draw?

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When is the 2018 World Cup draw? Everything you need to know
The draw will be in Moscow at the State Kremlin Palace on Friday, December 1, 2017.
The tournament will follow the usual format; eight groups - A to H - with four teams each will compete, with two qualifiers from each group making up the last-16 knockout stage before the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
Visit our full draw guide here. For full details on the European play-offs, head over to our guide here.

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(AFP/Getty Images)How to watch the World Cup on TV

For UK TV viewers, the World Cup will again be available on free-to-view with BBC and ITV once again sharing the broadcasting rights.
The final will be shown on both channels - with BBC attracting over four times more viewers than their rival for the showpiece event - with the remaining 63 fixtures split over the two broadcasters and their channel line-ups.
In 2014, ITV had first pick of the England matches and quarter-finals and the BBC chose first for the round-of-16 games and semi-finals.

Paracetamol and Optician, Stat!

Originally Posted by Luigi

Paracetamol and Optician, Stat!

He needs stronger meds than that.

Brazil vs. Portugal final.

[all dependent on group configuration]

Nonetheless, looking forward to the couple of surprises that will filter through second-round quarterfinal play.

It’s association football Jeff, not that fake merkin advertising shite, or WC Random Quote Generator.

Originally Posted by Switch

It’s association football Jeff, not that fake merkin advertising shite, or WC Random Quote Generator.

It's Jeff innit, the dumb fucker always wants to try and sound like he knows what he's talking about, even though he fails dismally.

Here you go Jeff, chuck a few of these in and people will think you have a slight fucking clue.

"The lad done great".
"As soon as he hit it, it was in".
"I saw it hit the onion bag".
"It's a game of two halves".
"If you don't shoot, you won't score".
"Oi Ref are you blind!?"

splendid and for added authenticity

They think it's all clover...
One was sick as a carrot......
Barer than the trophy room at Aston Ham
and you'll sound like a real soccer fanatic like Dave Cameron

Look on it as an opportunity to visit some magnificent historical sites in mother Russia, or a chance to visit Lubyanka or Siberia for an extended holiday, courtesy of President Putin.

Originally Posted by HuangLao

second-round quarterfinal play.

What is this nonsense?!

Originally Posted by armstrong

What is this nonsense?!

Just more random Jeffisms from the forums self appointed academic advisor.

Itt's ok he's been pulled off and suspended, red cards all round

Meanwhile back to the beautiful game, all whites'll have a tougher time than the xocceroos against the ceviche dippers on the Matchu Pitchu oooo

Intercontinental play-offs

Honduras, Peru and Australia have earned another chance at qualification alongside Oceania winners New Zealand. The All Whites will face Peru, while Australia take on the Central American side as the final two places in Russia are decided.
Peru v New Zealand (6-14 Nov)
Honduras v Australia (6-14 Nov)

It's remarkable that they engineer it so that mickey mouse sides like NZ and Australia are one game away from the World Cup.

Originally Posted by Switch

Look on it as an opportunity to visit some magnificent historical sites in mother Russia, or a chance to visit Lubyanka or Siberia for an extended holiday, courtesy of President Putin.

I'm toying with the idea of heading over for a couple of weeks; no doubt a medley of high culture, gut-rotting vodka and nerve-wracking bouts of self-preservation lie in wait.

You'll probably need a holiday to recover afterwards.

St Petersburg is worth visiting regardless, best see before the mozzies and prices hike and the louts deface it.
There's parts of Moscow the locals wouldn't venture after dark.Bristol next to Vnukovo's ok with good link to centre or ask the SFB for a Lair BnB.

Kalainingrad, aka Twangse, aka Koenisbeurg is the the pick of the bunch, home of Euler and Kant and a days drive from Dover.
Modern Soviet ugliness hides a fine Hansstadt home to Teutonic Knights, Sort of booty Knights prior to boogie nights.Some good acid rock bands and excellent Baltic Herrings to absorb the Vodka

For the Twangste rap

The old Hansa dock area has some fine diners tho not as cheap as youd imagine

Bizarre tales from the Baltic: 4 mysterious places in Kaliningrad

TRAVEL
OCT 10, 2017
YEKATERINA SINELSCHIKOVA


Since its founding in the 13th century, east Prussia’s capital, Konigsberg, has been home to much mystery. Today, it’s the capital of a Russian region, known as Kaliningrad. While the city has a new name, the enigmatic anomalies remain. Russia Beyond takes a mystical tour of some of the most popular urban legends in this Baltic Sea city.

The ‘dancing’ forest

A forest of twisted pines grows in the Kurshskaya Kosa National Park, near Rybachi village. Planted in 1961, the trees grew unlike others – their trunks were contorted at the roots. People say this is due to the pine shoot moth, which inhabits the area. The larvae, however, don’t harm other trees because….they crawl away.
‘Dancing’ forest, Kurshskaya Kosa National Park
Legion Media

This is the official theory. There are mystical attempts at explanations: from UFOs, to rumors of Third Reich Nazis who tested chemical substances and infected the land. Former director of the Kurshskaya Kosa National Park, Alexandra Korolev, points to a distinct anomaly: “It was February, and the snow was melting, but it was terribly cold in the forest. First, I thought it was just my imagination, but then the foresters who occasionally collect dried twigs told me that it’s indeed colder in the forest. I don’t know how to explain this.”
The park employees carried out an experiment by planting new pine shoots, but they also came out gnarled. It’s believed that in ancient times a Prussian-Druid temple stood on this land. Legend has it that temples were erected in so-called “places of strength” – zones with unexplainable phenomenon.
House of Soviets

This unfinished urban site stands in the city center, partly covering the spot of the Royal Castle that was demolished by the Soviets. The castle was the former residence of the Teutonic Knights, and a place where Prussian kings were crowned.
The House of Soviets, Kaliningrad
Legion Media

The building’s southwestern wing is on the former site of the Hall of the Order of the Black Eagle, the highest Prussian order of chivalry. Built in 1972, it’s an attractive structure and 95-percent complete. However, it was never inhabited. With time it turned into, as locals say, a “stillborn” symbol of Kaliningrad. Legend says that an ancient Prussian temple once stood here and was surrounded by an oak grove.
The structure’s mystery is that in the southwestern wing a compass arrow will flutter about, showing various directions. Witnesses say this bizarre anomaly is not observed in other parts of the building, or outside.
Secret Nazi laboratory

Not far from the Council House, by the Lower Pond, once stood an important Prussian masonic lodge. The Third Reich turned it into a secret laboratory for the Ahnenerbe project, which studied occult practices.
“Hitler and his companions were fascinated by the occult and made meticulous use of ancient writings and symbols,” said local historian, Sergei Trifonov. “My photo collection has more than 80,000 master signs and runes, prints on bricks, wolf paws and children’s palms that were collected on this site.”
Ruins of Königsberg in Kaliningrad
Legion Media

The bricks can be seen today in the Royal Gates Museum. Among the objects found at this address, known as Königsberg13, (this figure always accompanied the city – if tallied, its founding year, 1255, produces 13), was a set of Lucifer’s prints, a child’s postmortem mask and Ludwig’s nails, which were hammered into the forehead of a deceased person who had secret information while alive.
The Pregel mermaids and Kneiphof Island

The city’s main body of water is Pregel River, which winds around the islands, and according to legend it’s a place where mermaids dwell. Today, one of these islands houses the 14th century cathedral and the tomb of philosopher Immanuel Kant. One of Königsberg’s three settlements, Kneiphof, was located here. Its first coat of arms showed an arm rising from Pregel’s waters and stretching out a crown. Subsequent coat-of-arms also showed mermaids. A weathervane mermaid is also seen on the Cathedral’s spire, and it was said that the mermaid’s tail points to the place where a drowned person could be found.
Königsberg Cathedral
Evgenya Novozhenina/RIA Novosti

Today, stories about mermaids are given secondary importance, and people on Kneiphof Island are now afraid of ghosts. In November 2008, the crew from the once popular TV program, “It can’t be,” spent a few days hunting for a ghost that the cathedral guards had complained about and which allegedly was recorded by surveillance cameras.

Not gonna be much fun for the England fans over there, those paramilitary/fan nutters are waiting and salivating with their telescopic batons. Wouldn't surprise me if there's fatalities.

Originally Posted by Chittychangchang

fun for the England fans over there,nutters are waiting and salivating with their telescopic batons

and that's just the
KGB
Katoey Grope Brits
squad

Odds at the moment..Think i'd rather put my money on NZ instead of England and when it comes to the fans Russia is odds on fav.

Germany 5/1	France 5/1	Brazil 6/1
Spain 15/2	Argentina 8/1	Belgium 14/1
Portugal 20/1	England 20/1	Italy 20/1
Colombia 25/1	Russia 33/1	Croatia 40/1
Uruguay 40/1	Mexico 66/1	Poland 66/1
Hide
Switzerland 80/1	Japan 100/1	Serbia 100/1
Ivory Coast 100/1	Denmark 125/1	Nigeria 150/1
Sweden 150/1	Republic of Ireland 200/1	Greece 200/1
Iceland 200/1	Costa Rica 250/1	Peru 250/1
Iran 250/1	South Korea 250/1	Australia 300/1
Egypt 300/1	Morocco 500/1	Northern Ireland 500/1
Honduras 500/1	Senegal 500/1	Tunisia 500/1
Saudi Arabia 500/1	Panama 500/1	Cape Verde 1000/1
South Africa 1000/1	Burkina Faso 1000/1	New Zealand 2000/1
DR Congo 2000/1

How many can you name?

Those barnets are a hoot.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

How many can you name?

Every one.

Sight better than what we have now.