The ultimate match day survival guide

WE'RE so close to the world football’s main occasion that we can almost smell that freshly cut grass, and hear those boisterous fans from around the globe descending upon Russia.

WE'RE so close to the world football’s main occasion that we can almost smell that freshly cut grass, and hear those boisterous fans from around the globe descending upon Russia.

And unlike in Germany and Brazil, the football gods have smiled on us, with three decent game times (and by decent I mean anything but 3am kick offs.) We take on France first up at 8pm AEST on June 16, then Denmark at 10pm AEST on June 21, and finally Peru at midnight AEST on June 27 (evening of June 26).

But while we’ve been blessed with bearable kick off times and a better group than the nightmare draw in 2014, it’s important to make the most of the Caltex Socceroos’ Match Days. These matches only come around so often, so we’ve got all the tips you’ll need to make sure your game day experiences are winners.

The Coverage

Let’s get the important stuff sorted first, how to actually watch all of the action. This year the setup is a bit different. SBS will be showing 25 games live and free to air, including all Caltex Socceroos games – so breathe easy. Optus Sport however will be the only platform showing every game from Russia live via online streaming and their Yes TV by Fetch set-top box. It’ll cost you $14.99 per month for a subscription, which isn’t too bad in terms of cost. But with the games starting on June 14 and finishing July 15, just be careful that you don’t get stung for two months.

If you’re keen to just watch the Caltex Socceroos play, stick with SBS. But if you’re a big football or sports fan, it might be worth investing in Optus for more in-depth analysis and coverage over the entire Cup period. You can find out more about all the coverage options here.

Get Up To Date On Our Opponents

Christian Eriksen, Kylian Mbappé, Jefferson Farfán. These names ring a bell? Probably not if you’re new to football, but they’re just a few of the big names we’ll come up against in the Group Stage. If your footballing knowledge needs a bit of an update (or maybe a full education…) try downloading apps like Fotmob or Forza Football. They’re two apps that’ll provide you an influx of info, pre and post game coverage, as well as all the latest team news.

Not only that, but you can pick the Caltex Socceroos (or any other team) as a favourite, to get dedicated and focused news.

Originally published as The ultimate match day survival guide