Opening Match sees hosts take on Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium
Green Falcons are first Asian team to take part in World Cup opener
Did you know…?
No host team has lost in the Opening Match of the World Cup, which has produced six victories and three draws for the home side. Russia have also been in the Saudis’ shoes before, having contested a World Cup opener as the away side: they drew 0-0 with Mexico in 1970 as the Soviet Union.
Possible line-ups
Russia: Igor Akinfeev; Mario Fernandes, Fedor Kudryashov, Sergey Ignashevich, Yuri Zhirkov; Roman Zobnin, Daler Kuzyaev, Alan Dzagoev, Aleksandr Samedov, Aleksandr Golovin; Fedor Smolov
Saudi Arabia: Abdullah Al-Mayouf; Usamah Husawi, Omar Hosawi, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Mohammed Al-Barik; Abdullah Otif, Salman Al-Faraj, Yahya Al-Shihri, Taisir Al-Jassim, Salem Al Dosari; Fahad Al-Molad
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia
Russia v Saudi Arabia, Prediction
Russia to win..