FIFA World Cup 2018 opening day: Viewing info, team news, WORLD CUP!

It’s here! The World Cup decided to go ahead and happen despite the US’s apparent lack of interest, which is probably for the best. Anyway, the whole glorious mess kicks off today with hosts Russia facing Saudi Arabia, in a preview of what’s in store for...oh wait no neither of these teams are going to advance to the knockouts are they?

Anyway, that’s the only game on today’s docket, before which I’m sure there will be some sort of inexplicable song and dance that is supposed to give a window into Russian culture but will probably just look like some rejected Krofft Brothers acid flashback (ask your parents, kids!), because that’s what major sporting events do nowadays.

So anyway, sit back and enjoy that, and then get ready for fourteen consecutive days of at least three games a day. Most of which, annoyingly, are at super-early hours, at least for those of us on the west coast of the US; 5AM kickoffs aren’t unheard of, and most days there’s an 8AM kickoff.

If you’re in college and not working/in class this summer, enjoy the days full of soccer and spare a thought for those of us with day jobs and DVR’s; I won’t be able to catch much of this tournament live, but we’ll be here every day with a how to watch/open thread post, and ahead of games with Arsenal players in them, we’ll have more on those players and teams. For the next couple days, there’ll be no Cannon Fodder, as we get rolling with WC coverage, so this can also be your open thread should you want.

So, even if it’s at a grossly early hour, why not make TSF your home for hanging out and watching the World Cup?

WHAT:
Russia v. Saudi Arabia
FIFA World Cup

WHERE:
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

WHEN:
Thursday, June 14, 2018
8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM BT/10PM RT

HOW:
US TV: Fox (not Fox Sports 1, regular OTA Fox)
US Streaming: Telemundo

The rest of the world: check livesoccer.tv for stream/broadcast info in your area.