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The 2018 FIFA World Cup is nearly here.

Hosts Russia will kick off the showpiece event in June with their opening game in Moscow.

There's certainly been plenty of controversy about the event, so how about we look forward to it now instead?

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be held at 12 stadiums in 11 Russian cities from June 14 to July 15.

Among the cities are Moscow, St Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan and Volgograd.

England will be among 32 teams battling it out in Russia for the most prestigious trophy in world football.

Notable countries that failed to qualify include four-time champions Italy (for the first time since 1958) and three-time runner-up Netherlands.

Here are the key fixture dates:

GROUP STAGES

Thursday, June 14

Russia v Saudi Arabia Moscow (Luzhniki) 4pm

Friday, June 15

Egypt v Uruguay Ekaterinburg 1pm

Morocco v Iran St Petersburg 4pm

Portugal v Spain Sochi 7pm

Saturday, June 16

France v Australia Kazan 11am

Argentina v Iceland Moscow (Spartak) 2pm

Denmark v Peru Saransk 5pm

Croatia v Nigeria Kaliningrad 8pm

Sunday, June 17

Costa Rica v Serbia Samara 1pm

Germany v Mexico Moscow (Luzhniki) 4pm

Brazil v Switzerland Rostov-on-Don 7pm

Monday, June 18

Sweden v South Korea Nizhny Novgorod 1pm

Belgium v Panama Sochi 4pm

Tunisia v ENGLANDVolgograd 7pm

Tuesday, June 19

Poland v Senegal Moscow (Spartak) 1pm

Colombia v Japan Saransk 4pm

Russia v Egypt St Petersburg 7pm

Wednesday, June 20

Portugal v Morocco Moscow (Luzhniki) 1pm

Uruguay v Saudi Arabia Rostov-on-Don 4pm

Iran v Spain Kazan 7pm

Thursday, June 21

France v Peru Ekaterinburg 1pm

Denmark v Australia Samara 4pm

Argentina v Croatia Nizhny Novgorod 7pm

Friday, June 22

Brazil v Costa Rica St Petersburg 1pm

Nigeria v Iceland Volgograd 4pm

Serbia v Switzerland Kaliningrad 7pm

Saturday, June 23

Belgium v Tunisia Moscow (Spartak) 1pm

Germany v Sweden Sochi 4pm

South Korea v Mexico Rostov-on-Don 7pm

Sunday, June 24

ENGLAND v Panama Nizhny Novgorod 1pm

Japan v Senegal Ekaterinburg 4pm

Poland v Colombia Kazan 7pm

Monday, June 25

Saudi Arabia v Egypt Volgograd 3pm

Uruguay v Russia Samara 3pm

Iran v Portugal Kaliningrad 7pm

Spain v Morocco Saransk 7pm

Tuesday, June 26

Denmark v France Moscow (Luzhniki) 3pm

Australia v Peru Sochi 3pm

Nigeria v Argentina St Petersburg 7pm

Croatia v Iceland Rostov-on-Don 7pm

Wednesday, June 27

South Korea v Germany Kazan 3pm

Mexico v Sweden Ekaterinburg 3pm

Serbia v Brazil Moscow (Spartak) 7pm

Switzerland v Costa Rica Nizhny Novgorod 7pm

Thursday, June 28

Japan v Poland Volgograd 3pm

Colombia v Senegal Samara 3pm

Panama v Tunisia Saransk 7pm

ENGLAND v Belgium Kaliningrad 7pm

LAST 16

Saturday, June 30

1C v 2D Kazan 3pm (Match 50)

1A v 2B Sochi 7pm (Match 49)

Sunday, July 1

1B v 2A Moscow (Luzhniki) 3pm (Match 51)

1D v 2C Nizhny Novgorod 7pm (Match 52)

Monday, July 2

1E v 2F Samara 3pm (Match 53)

1G v 2H Rostov-on-Don 7pm (Match 54)

1F v 2E St Petersburg 3pm (Match 55)

1H v 2G Moscow (Spartak) 7pm (Match 56)

QUARTER-FINALS

Friday, July 6

Winner match 49 v winner match 50 Nizhny Novgorod 3pm (Match 57)

Winner match 53 v winner match 54 Kazan 7pm (Match 58)

Saturday, July 7

Winner match 55 v winner match 56 Samara 3pm (Match 60)

Winner match 51 v winner match 52 Sochi 7pm (Match 59)

SEMI-FINALS

Tuesday, July 10

Winner match 57 v winner match 58 St Petersburg 7pm

Wednesday, July 11

Winner match 59 v winner match 60 Moscow (Luzhniki) 7pm

THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF

Saturday, July 14

St Petersburg 3pm

FINAL

Sunday, July 15

Moscow (Luzhniki) 4pm