World Cup 2018 fixtures and full schedule

 Kathmandu:november 11/28/2017/tuesday / Birbal Tamang
 England will find out their 2018 World Cup opponents on Friday in the draw for the group stages of next year's tournament in Russia. 

Gareth Southgate's side qualified for the tournament with flying colours, going the whole campaign unbeaten in group containing Scotland and Slovakia.

After Peru became the 32nd team to qualify for the World Cup, we now know the final list of teams that will make up the official draw on Friday December 1. 
Pot 1 will contain Russia and the highest-ranked seven teams. Pot 2 will feature the next best eight teams, and so on for Pots 3 and 4.  The draw will divide the 32 teams into eight groups of four from A to H.
Each group will play three matches, before the top two countries advance to the second round. Russia will be in Group A as host nation.
The 32 teams who will make up next year's tournament are:

1. Russia (host nation)
2. Belgium (Europe)
3. England (Europe)
4. France (Europe)
5. Germany (Europe)
6. Iceland (Europe)
7. Poland (Europe)
8. Portugal (Europe)
9. Serbia (Europe)
10. Spain (Europe)
11. Switzerland (Europe)
12. Sweden (Europe)
13. Croatia (Europe)
14. Denmark (Europe)
15. Egypt (Africa)
16. Nigeria (Africa)
17. Senegal (Africa)
18. Morocco (Africa)
19. Tunisia (Africa)
20. Iran (Asia)
21. Japan (Asia)
22. South Korea (Asia)
23. Saudi Arabia (Asia)
24. Costa Rica (North, central America and Caribbean)
25. Mexico (North, central America and Caribbean)
26. Panama (North, central America and Caribbean)
27. Argentina (South America)
28. Brazil (South America)
29. Colombia (South America)
30. Uruguay (South America)
31. Australia (Asia)
32. Peru (South America)

Former England striker Gary Lineker will play a crucial role in deciding his home country's World Cup fate.

The Match of the Day presenter will conduct the draw for the group stages of the World Cup alongside Russian sports journalist Maria Komandnaya.

The World Cup trophy in all its glory  Credit: Reuters 

Gary Lineker will co-host the 2018 World Cup draw  Credit: Getty Images 

 "As a player, I was fortunate enough to take part in the World Cup finals on two occasions," Lineker told Fifa's official website.
"It is quite special to be involved in yet another tournament, now on the stage, unveiling the results of the draw.
"I have been on the other side, waiting to find out my opponents, and I know how exciting this occasion is."
Lineker was forced to defend his decision to host the draw having been a vocal critic of Fifa corruption in recent years.

"I’m hosting the draw for a World Cup that I’ve watched all my life, played in twice, won its Golden boot and will present for @BBCSport for the 6th time next summer.

"I just wish I could still play in it. Doesn’t make it a political endorsement."
Lineker revealed he drawn England in a group containing Belgium, Senegal and Japan during a rehearsal for Friday's main event.
"Just had my first production and logistics meeting for next week’s @FIFAWorldCup draw," he tweeted.
"Had a quick run through (it’s complicated) and England ended up in Group B with Belgium, Senegal and Japan."

England qualified for the World Cup without losing a single game in qualifying and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes Gareth Southgate's side have the ability to lift win the tournament.

"I think England must have a chance because the players are really good," Mourinho told Sky Sports News.
"There's a great generation of players at different ages and with different qualities.They have good experience at club level, playing in the Premier League and plenty of them play in the Champions League too.
"England have great potential to do something important.
Mourinho did concede that Southgate's men would not go into next summer as tournament favourites.
Russia's wacky World Cup stadium with an exterior stand ...
"In South America there are a couple of important teams, in Europe the same three or four so I can't believe next summer we will have a huge surprise."

Gareth Southgate has suggested he might prepare his team for the prospect of a penalty shootout by making his players take penalties in front of a crowd at Wembley.

"It's something that we are considering how we prepare best for penalty shoot-outs," said Southgate.
"Whether that's something on the training ground, whether that's in sessions we do away from the training ground, or something we do in some sort of match scenario.
"We've not finalised that yet but clearly that [match situation] is an option."
England face friendlies against Holland and Italy - two teams who failed to qualify for the tournament in Russia.