Five things to know about 2018 FIFA World Cup

1- Russia is hosting World Cup 2018 

Russia will host the most prestigious soccer tournament for the first time, between June 14 and July 15 in 11 cities in the west of the country.

The country has spent billions on building new stadiums and upgrading aging infrastructure.

Some 570,000 foreign fans and 700,000 Russians are expected to attend World Cup matches, according to a study presented by the local organising committee last month.

2- Italy miss finals in Russia

Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades after a scoreless tie meant it lost its two-leg playoff to Sweden, 1-0, on aggregate.

Italy have played in the last 14 World Cup finals, winning two of them. In all, they have triumphed four times, a tally only exceeded by Brazil, who have won five times. Italy are the only former champions not to make it to Russia 2018.

Turkey, Chile, the Netherlands and Greece are also out of contention this year.

3- Iceland smallest country, Panama's first World Cup

Iceland became the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup when they beat Kosovo 2-0 to book a place at their first finals in Russia as winners of Group I.

It was a remarkable achievement for a country that has a population of about 350,000. The previous smallest country to have reached the finals was Trinidad & Tobago, in 2006, with 1.3 million people.

Iceland’s seven wins in the group included all five of their home matches where previous World Cup semi-finalists Croatia and Turkey were among the victims.

And Panama qualified for the World Cup for the first time in history.

A late goal punched Panama’s ticket to their first World Cup finals with a 2-1 win over Costa Rica, while the United States will miss out for the first time since 1986.

That goal not only sent Panama to their first World Cup but ensured the United States would miss out for the first time since 1986. 

Moreover, Egypt will return to the big stage after a 28 year gap.

4- Record number of viewers expected

More than one billion fans tuned in to watch the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, said the world’s football body FIFA. 

FIFA also said the competition reached 3.2 billion people in-home television audience globally. 

The final game between Argentina and Germany in 2014 attracted the most in-home audience with 695 million people. 

A record number of viewers is expected for the 2018 FIFA event in Russia, as social media has started to find more place in people’s lives. 

5- Brazil leads in World Cup trophies 

There have been 20 World Cups since the first one was held in 1930 in Uruguay, with eight different countries winning the trophy. 

Brazil leads in World Cup trophies with five Cup wins, followed by Germany and Italy, with four each. They are followed by Uruguay and Argentina, who both won it 2 times. 

England, France and Spain have each won it once. 

World Cup hosts have only lifted the trophy five times in the history of the 88-year-old competition: Uruguay in 1930, Italy four years later, England in 1966, Argentina in 1978 and France in 1988.

Unfortunately for Russia, the poll suggests it has little chance of keeping the trophy at home.