This Tuesday, the group stage of the football World Cup concluded, which will start on 11 June and will feature teams from 48 countries. In this stage, 4 European teams qualified through a play-off that included 16 contenders, in addition to 2 teams that advanced from a round-robin of 6 teams held in Mexico. The Czech Republic eliminated Denmark and Bosnia eliminated Italy, which will miss the World Cup for the third time. The other two European teams that successfully qualified are Turkey and Sweden. During the intercontinental play-off, the Democratic Republic of the Congo secured its qualification at the expense of Jamaica, while the last available spot went to Iraq. The twenty-third edition of the World Cup will consist of 104 matches. The tournament will kick off on 11 June at the Estadio Azteca with the match between Mexico and South Africa, and will conclude on 17 July at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. The initial stage, consisting of 12 groups, will be set up after 72 matches, before 32 teams advance to the next round. Here is the schedule for the 72 matches of the group stage: On 11 June, Mexico will face South Africa at the Estadio Azteca. On 12 June, Canada will play against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto. On 13 June, Qatar will take on Switzerland in Santa Clara; Brazil will face Morocco in East Rutherford; Haiti will compete against Scotland in Foxborough; and Australia will meet Turkey in Vancouver. On 14 June, Germany will go up against Curacao in Houston; the Netherlands will play against Japan in Arlington; Ivory Coast will compete with Ecuador in Philadelphia; and Sweden will take on Tunisia in Monterrey. On 15 June, Spain will measure up to Cape Verde in Atlanta; Belgium will play against Egypt in Seattle; Saudi Arabia will compete with Uruguay in Miami Gardens; and Iran will face New Zealand in Inglewood. On 16 June, France will clash with Senegal in East Rutherford; Iraq will compete against Norway in Foxborough; Argentina will play against Algeria in Kansas City; and Austria will take on Jordan in Santa Clara. On 17 June, Portugal will measure up to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Foxborough; England will face Croatia in Arlington; Ghana will take on Panama in Toronto; and Uzbekistan will meet Colombia in Mexico City. On 18 June, the Czech Republic will face South Africa in Atlanta; Switzerland will play against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Inglewood; Canada will meet Qatar in Vancouver; and Mexico will take on South Korea in Zapopan. On 19 June, the United States will play against Australia in Seattle; Scotland will face Morocco in Foxborough; Brazil will compete against Haiti in Philadelphia; and Turkey will take on Paraguay in Santa Clara. On 20 June, the Netherlands will face Sweden in Houston; Germany will go up against Ivory Coast in Toronto; Ecuador will play against Curacao in Kansas City; and Tunisia will measure up to Japan in Monterrey. On 21 June, Spain will compete against Saudi Arabia in Atlanta; Belgium will face Iran in Inglewood; Uruguay will take on Cape Verde in Miami Gardens; and New Zealand will meet Egypt in Vancouver. On 22 June, Argentina will clash with Austria in Arlington; France will play against Iraq in Philadelphia; Norway will compete with Senegal in East Rutherford; and Jordan will take on Algeria in Santa Clara. On 23 June, Portugal will face Uzbekistan in Houston; England will play against Ghana in Foxborough; Panama will compete with Croatia in Toronto; and Colombia will take on the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Zapopan. On 24 June, Switzerland will play against Canada in Vancouver; Bosnia and Herzegovina will face Qatar in Seattle; Scotland will compete against Brazil in Miami Gardens; Morocco will measure up to Haiti in Atlanta; the Czech Republic will take on Mexico in Mexico City; and South Africa will play against South Korea in Monterrey. On 25 June, Curacao will compete against Ivory Coast in Philadelphia; Ecuador will face Germany in East Rutherford; Japan will take on Sweden in Arlington; Tunisia will clash with the Netherlands in Kansas City; Turkey will compete against the United States in Inglewood; and Paraguay will play against Australia in Santa Clara. On 26 June, Norway will face France in Foxborough; Senegal will play against Iraq in Toronto; Cape Verde will compete against Saudi Arabia in Houston; Uruguay will take on Spain in Zapopan; Egypt will measure up to Iran in Seattle; and New Zealand will meet Belgium in Vancouver. On 27 June, Panama will face England in East Rutherford; Croatia will play against Ghana in Philadelphia; Colombia will compete with Portugal in Miami Gardens; the Democratic Republic of the Congo will measure up to Uzbekistan in Atlanta; Algeria will take on Austria in Kansas City; and Jordan will encounter Argentina in Arlington.
