2018 World Cup in Russia: Fixtures, matches, dates, kickoff times including Socceroos games

PREPARE for a lack of sleep and make sure the kettle is working! There’s some late nights coming up for football fans in June next year (and hopefully July as well). Here’s the World Cup draw.

Fans will have to get up early to watch Tim Cahill and co in Russia.

PREPARE for a lack of sleep and make sure the kettle is working! There’s some late nights coming up for football fans in June next year (and hopefully July as well).

Matches start at 8pm (EST), with the last kick-off at 5am (EST). The Socceroos’ three matches are on at 8pm (France), 10pm (Denmark) and midnight (Peru).

Here’s the entire draw for the month-long festivities.

2018 World Cup draw

Group A

Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia

Group B

Portugal, Spain, Iran, Morocco

Group C

France, Peru, Australia, Denmark

Group D

Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria

Group E

Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia

Group F

Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea

Group G

Belguim, England, Tunisia, Panama

Group H

Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Japan

INTRIGUING: France, Denmark, Peru await Socceroos

COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: At least it’s not the group of death

WINNERS, LOSERS: Who gained most/least from the draw

GROUP ACTION: Spain v Portugal, England v Belgium highlights

All times EST.

Friday, June 15: Russia v Saudi Arabia, Moscow (Luzhniki) (1am), Egypt v Uruguay, Yekaterinburg (10pm)

Saturday, June 16: Morocco v Iran, Saint Petersburg (1am) Portugal v Spain, Sochi (4am), France v Australia, Kazan (8pm) Argentina v Iceland, Moscow (Spartak) (11pm).

Sunday, June 17: Peru v Denmark, Saransk (2am) Croatia v Nigeria, Kaliningrad (5am), Costa Rica v Serbia, Samara (10pm)

Monday, June 18: Germany v Mexico, Moscow (Luzhniki) (1am) Brazil v Switzerland, Rostov-on-Don (4am), Sweden v South Korea, Nizhni Novgorod (10pm).

Tuesday, June 19: Belgium v Panama, Sochi (1am) Tunisia v England, Volgograd (4am), Poland v Senegal, Moscow (Spartak) (10pm).

Wednesday, June 20: Colombia v Japan, Saransk (1am) Russia v Egypt, Saint Petersburg (4am), Portugal v Morocco, Moscow (Luzhniki) (10pm)

Thursday, June 21: Uruguay v Saudi Arabia, Rostov-on-Don (1am) Iran v Spain, Kazan (4am), France v Peru, Yekaterinburg (10pm)

Friday, June 22: Denmark v Australia, Samara (1am) Argentina v Croatia, Nizhni Novgorod (4pm), Brazil v Costa Rica, Saint Petersburg (10pm).

Saturday, June 23: Nigeria v Iceland, Volgograd (1am) Serbia v Switzerland, Kaliningrad (4am), Belgium v Tunisia, Moscow (Spartak) (10pm).

Sunday, June 24: Germany v Sweden, Sochi (1am) South Korea v Mexico, Rostov-on-Don (4am), England v Panama, Nizhni Novgorod (10pm).

Monday, June 25: Japan v Senegal, Yekaterinburg (1am) Poland v Colombia, Kazan (4am).

Russia’s coach Stanislav Cherchesov with Germasn counterpart Joachim Loew.

Tuesday, June 26: Saudi Arabia v Egypt, Volgograd (midnight) Uruguay v Russia, Samara (midnight) Spain v Morocco, Kaliningrad (4am) Iran v Portugal, Saransk (4am).

Wednesday, June 27: Denmark v France, Moscow (Luzhniki) (midnight) Australia v Peru, Sochi (midnight), Nigeria v Argentina, Saint Petersburg (4am) Iceland v Croatia, Rostov-on-Don (4am).

Thursday, June 28: South Korea v Germany, Kazan (midnight) Mexico v Sweden, Yekaterinburg (midnight), Serbia v Brazil, Moscow (Spartak) (4am) Switzerland v Costa Rica, Nizhni Novgorod (4am).

Friday, June 29: Japan v Poland, Volgograd (midnight) Senegal v Colombia, Samara (midnight), England v Belgium, Kaliningrad (4am) Panama v Tunisia, Saransk (4am).

Sunday, July 1

Round of 16: Group C winners v Group D runners-up, Kazan (R1) (midnight) Group A winners v Group B runners-up, Sochi (R2) (4am).

Monday, July 2

Round of 16: Group B winners v Group A runners-up, Moscow (Luzhniki) (R5) (midnight) Group D winners v Group C runners-up, Nizhni Novgorod (R6) (4am).

Tuesday, July 3

Round of 16: Group E winners v Group F runners-up, Samara (R3) (midnight) Group G winners v Group H runners-up, Rostov-on-Don (R4) (4am).

Wednesday, July 4

Round of 16: Group F winners v Group E runners-up, Saint Petersburg (R7) (midnight) Group H winners v Group G runners-up, Moscow (Spartak) (R8) (4am).

Saturday, July 7

Quarter-finals: Winner of R1 v Winner of R2, Nizhni Novgorod (Q1) (midnight), Winner of R3 v Winner of R4, Kazan (Q2) (4am)

Sunday, July 8

Quarter-finals: Winner of R7 v Winner of R8, Samara (Q3) (midnight), Winner of R5 v Winner of R6, Sochi (Q4) (4am)

Semifinal 1: Saint Petersburg Stadium, 4am, Wednesday, July 11

Semifinal 2: Luzhiniki Stadium, 4am, Thursday, July 12

Third place playoff, Sunday, July 15: Saint Petersburg (midnight)

FINAL, Monday, July 16: Moscow (Luzhniki) (1am)

Guide to Australia's opponents

France

Game

Australia v France, Kazan, June 16, 8pm

Coach

Didier Deschamps

Captain

Hugo Lloris

Stars

Raphael Varane, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann

World ranking

9

World Cup record

Champions as hosts in 1998. 15-time qualifiers.

Qualification

Topped their group ahead of Sweden, the Netherlands and Bulgaria with seven wins from 10 matches.

Record v Australia

Four meetings - Australia one win, France two wins, one draw.

Last meeting

France 6 Australia 0, Paris, October 2013

Denmark

Coach

Age Hareide

Captain

Simon Kjaer

Stars

Christian Eriksen, Kasper Schmeichel

World ranking

12

World Cup record

First appearance since 2010. Four-time qualifiers. Reached the last eight in 1998.

Qualification

Finished second in their group behind Poland, defeating Ireland 5-1 in a play-off.

Record v Australia

Three meetings - Australia one win, Denmark two wins.

Last meeting

Denmark 2 Australia 0, Copenhagen, June 2012

Peru

Coach

Ricardo Gareca

Captain

Alberto Rodriguez

Stars

Jefferson Farfan, Paolo Guerrero

World ranking

11

World Cup record

Back for the first time since 1982. Four-time qualifiers. Reached the last eight in 1970.

Qualification

Surprise fifth-placed finishers in South America ahead of Chile and others. Defeated New Zealand 2-0 in a play-off.

Last meeting

The two sides have never met