Game Plan - Soccer World Cup Operator Guide

GAME PLAN

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LEFT BEHIND

PATH TO THE CUP

Qatar will be making history this November as the very first Middle Eastern country to host the FIFA World Cup

Traditionally held in June and July, the World Cup is being played throughout November and December to avoid the extreme temperatures of Qatar’s summer

By the vote of 22 FIFA executive members, Qatar managed to edge out the U S A with fourteen votes to eight

Qatar will also be the smallest nation to host the tournament, allowing fans to easily travel to multiple fixtures

Everyone might think Qatar is new to the world of football, however, the Qatar Stars League officially kicked off way back in 1972 To put it in perspective, the National Soccer League (The A League predecessor) launched in 1977

The World Cup

pinnacle of football, hosted every four years since 1930. Only eight teams have had the honour of winning this tournament.

Brazil holds the World Cup likes of Italy four titles Maradona, footballing legends alike have all played in the biggest sporting event in the world

This is where legends are made, and future stars are born Could this be Ronaldo and Messi’s last World Cup? Who will go down in the history book?

Being ranked number one in the world and qualifying in first position in the South American qualifiers, Brazil are the favourites to win. With the likes of Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Richarlson, Casemiro and more, Brazil is in no shortage of world class talent to get them the title. Although, France, having won the last World Cup aren’t in short supply of superstars either, with Mbappe, Benzema, Lloris, Dembele and co They are serious contenders and if the two teams happen to meet in the Grand Final it could be one of the most entertaining games of football we have ever seen

Let’s not forget the likes of Germany, Spain, Belgium, Argentina and England as genuine contenders for the title as well. However, injuries to several of the national teams’ key players mean an outright favourite is hard to pick

is the

The Socceroos have by no means strolled into the World Cup finals.

After finishing third in Group B of the Asian Group Qualifiers they faced the UAE in an elimination play off. We had to move on from this disappointment and turn things around if we had any hopes of making it to Qatar

Getting a narrow 2 1 victory against the UAE meant it was time to face Peru, who were unable to achieve automatic qualification in the South American Qualifiers

Peru were the heavy favourites into this do-or-die match, in which the winner would earn their ticket to the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

In a nail biting game neither side could grab a goal, despite many close calls, which meant the winner would come down to a penalty shoot out I’m sure many Aussies were getting flashbacks to Aloisi in 2005 against Uruguay

Make sure your Aussie ePOS is on display

The world was in shock The Socceroos had completed the impossible We now face an almost identical group to the 2018 campaign, against the World Cup winners France, as well as Denmark and Tunisia this November Let’s get behind the boys once again, and who knows what will happen. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

WATCH: Archie’s Top 5 Socceroos

For viewing the games live, Qatar are seven hours ahead of Australia during the daylight saving period. This means the first game of the tournament (7:00pm Doha time) will be held at 2:00am AEDT.

Our hero of the match became Andrew Redmayne when he saved the deciding penalty to win the shoot-out for the Socceroos.

A surprisingly close game between these two in the last World Cup, the Socceroos will be looking to bring the pressure to the World Champions once again in the first game of the group. Suffering the 2 1 loss in 2018 via a Behich own goal the Aussies should feel optimistic in this clash However, if France are on their A game it will be a very difficult 90 minutes for the Socceroos

It has been quite some time since these two teams last met, the Socceroos winning 3 0 in their last outing all the way back in 2005 While not making it past the group stages in 2018, Tunisia should not be underrated, winning their game against Panama and narrowly losing to England 2 1. Having Belgium in their group as well made it an impossible task to finish any higher This will be quite the eye opener for Socceroos fans as Tunisia might be a team to watch out for Everyone, get around for this game in venue, kicking off at 9pm local this is prime time football for the Aussies. Can the Socceroos go one better against Denmark than their 1 1 draw in 2018? If we can manage to score our goals outside of just

for this World

then we should be in with a chance. That’s right, in the 2018 World Cup the Socceroos scored twice, both were penalties converted by Mile Jedinak

the Socceroos needed a win, this is the game to get it as it will likely decide who grabs second place in the group.

VENUE

• Display SKY Sports 3 (Channel 607) or SBS on as many screens as possible and devise a screen plan for the month.

• Don’t show replays of other leagues these won’t generate any wagering turnover the focus should be on the World Cup

• Display POS and digital signage to let your customers know where they can come to watch!

• Make sure you maintain your race theatre Soccer should take over sport and free to air channels Continuity of race content is important as customers rely on consistency.

• Where possible, show odds adjacent to live vision.

• Be aware of Shutdown Times

THE FACTS & FIGURES

$42M

What the winners will receive in prize money. Don’t worry, the runner up will receive a cool $30 Million USD!

BILLION

45

YEARS OLD

Egyptian Goalkeeper Essam El Hadary became the oldest player ever to compete in the FIFA World Cup at the age of 45 years old and 5 months. The 2018 World Cup was his final tournament representing his country.

18K

OWN GOALS

The 2018 World Cup had the greatest number of own goals in the tournament’s history This doubles the previous record of 6 own goals that were scored in the 1998 World Cup in France

EXTRA SEATS

The Ekaterinburg Arena in Russia used for the 2018 World Cup was required by FIFA to seat a minimum of 35,000 people. Having a capacity of only 27,000, additional bleachers were built beyond the stadium, increasing the capacity to 45,000. It was quite a sight to behold

Ekaterinburg Arena, Russia Enough seats?

580M VIEWS

The 2018 World Cup was the most engaging World Cup ever with fans viewing FIFA official videos a record number of times Also, the official FIFA website was the most visited sports website during the World Cup period

$220B

The upcoming World Cup in Qatar is by far the most expensive World Cup in history The previous record of a measly $15 billion was held by Brazil for the 2014 World Cup

GOALS

Goals scored after the 90th minute Smashing the previous record of 14 set in the 2014 World Cup

PENALTIES AWARDED

The introduction of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) in the 2018 World Cup saw the highest number of penalties given in the tournament’s history The previous record of only 18 penalties were awarded in the 2002 World Cup

MATCHES

Bet Type Explanation

Result

Correct Score

Result of a match in 90 minutes including injury time

The correct score of the match

Total Goals Over/Under Nominate the combined goals for both teams will be Over or Under a certain amount

Result Over/Under Double

Winner of Tie

Winner Margin

Select the correct outcomes in both Result and Total Goals Over/Under

Select the team to win the tie and progress to the next stage after extra time and penalty shootout if required

Select the team to win by two or more goals, exactly 1 goal or the match to end in a draw at the end of normal time

Half/Full Double Betting on who is leading at half time AND full time

1st Half Result

Anytime Goal scorer

Double Chance

FIXTURES

Winner

Select the team to lead or draw at halftime

Select the player to score a goal at anytime in the match. Refund on players who do not take the field. Own goals do not count.

Select the combination of two results at the end of normal time

Bet Type Explanation

Result of a match. Must be the result in 90 minutes including injury time

To Qualify for Final

Quinella

Quarter Finalist

Top Goal Scorer

GROUP BETTING

The correct score of the match

Nominate the combined goals for both teams will be Over or Under a certain amount

Select the correct outcomes in both Result and Total Goals Over/Under

Select the team to win the tie and progress to the next stage after extra time and penalty shootout if required

Bet Type Explanation

To Qualify From Group

Group Winner

Not to Qualify From Group

Select the team to progress from the group to the next stage

Select the team to finish 1st in the group

Select the team that fail to progress from the group to the next stage

*Normal time Normal time is usually 90 minutes plus injury or stoppage time. All soccer markets are settled on Normal time unless otherwise indicated in the market name, description or message

*Extra time Additional (injury/stoppage) time added by the referee is not to be confused with Extra time. Extra time is played to determine who progresses to the next stage if the match ends in a draw at the end of normal time. If it is still a draw at the end of Extra time, penalty shootout will take place.

TAB APP WORLD CUP HUB

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Plus, with the time difference between Qatar and the local, it’s understandable that your doors may not be open for every single game Luckily, the TAB App is showing a 24 hour Sky Sports channel punters can access from absolutely anywhere Very handy at 2:00am

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World Cup multi builder

THE GLOSSARY

THE TOURNAMENT

The World Cup Finals in November this year will hold 32 teams divided into 8 groups, consisting of 4 teams The 32 teams who have qualified for the Finals had to do so in their continental qualifiers, which began all the way back in 2019. Each continent is allocated a specific number of spots for the tournament, Europe is given 13 places, South America 4.5 places, Nort and Central America 3 5 places, Africa 5 places, Asia 4 5 places and Oceania 0.5 places.

The decimal place (the number of spots) represents qualification via the playoffs as the team from that continent is not guaranteed a spot in the World Cup Finals For example, South America’s 4 5 can turn into 5 places if a team from their pool wins their play off It can also turn into 4 places if they lose their play off.

Europe – 13 places Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)

55 European nations are sorted into 10 groups (groups of 5 and 6) and fight for 10 automatic qualification spots Each team plays each other twice and whoever finishes top of their group is awarded the automatic qualification spot

QUALIFIED: Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Croatia, England, Germany

The 10 second placed teams, as well as the two best ranked group winners from the 2020 21 UEFA Nations League who did not finish second in their qualifying group all enter the play offs to decide who gets the final 3 spots. These 12 teams are split into 3 pools of 4 teams, consisting of a semi final and a grand final The winners of each get a ticket to the World Cup

Russia was kicked out of this pool due to the invasion of Ukraine which gave Poland a walkover to the grand final match

QUALIFIED: Wales, Poland, Portugal

North & Central America – 3.5 Places

Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association of Football (CONCACAF)

CONCACAF qualification to the World Cup is quite different to Europe and South America as they only have 35 FIFA affiliated teams. The coronavirus pandemic also meant the format was reworked The top 5 ranked teams in CONCACAF skipped the first 2 rounds of qualification while nations ranked 6 to 35 were required to compete These 30 teams were divided into 6 groups of 5 and were only required to play each other once The winners of each group progressed.

PROGRESSED: El Salvador, Canada, Curacao, Panama, Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis

The winners were then drawn against each other in an elimination play off to decide who will progress to the next stage.

PROGRESSED: El Salvador, Canada, Panama

The winners and the top 5 ranked CONCACAF nations were to play each other home and away. The top 3 would go on to earn their place in the World Cup, while 4th place team would be required to play and in the intercontinental play off match against the Oceania play off team.

QUALIFIED: Canada, Mexico, U.S, Costa Rica (Play-off win against New Zealand)

Africa – 5 Places

Confederation of African Football (CAF)

There are 54 FIFA affiliated African teams, vying for a spot at the World Cup. The 28 lowest ranked nations played two legged games with the winners joining the other 26 African nations. These 40 teams are divided into 10 groups of 4 teams with the winners of each group progressing into the head to head round

PROGRESSED: Algeria, Tunisia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Morocco, Congo DR

These are once again two legged ties with the winners of each match, progressing to the World Cup Finals in Qatar.

QUALIFIED: Cameroon, Morocco, Senegal, Ghana, Tunisia

Oceania - 0.5 Places

Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)

Only 9 of the 11 FIFA affiliated Oceania national teams took part in OFC qualifying The first round was an elimination match between the two lowest ranked OFC teams, the winner progressing to the next round

PROGRESSED: Cook Islands (via Tonga forfeit)

The remaining 8 teams were split into 2 groups of 4 teams playing each other once, the top 2 nations in each group progressing

PROGRESSED: Solomon Islands, Tahiti, New Zealand, Papa New Guinea

The format for the next round was 2 semi finals and a grand final The winner of the grand final would go on to the intercontinental play off against CONCACAF play off team. New Zealand had their World Cup journey cut short, losing to Costa Rica.

South America – 4.5 Places South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL)

South American qualifying is a more straightforward process There are 10 nations competing for 4 automatic qualification spots and 1 play off spot Like Europe, each team plays each other twice to determine where they finish on the ladder. The top 4 achieve automatic qualification while 5th spot must win their intercontinental play off against an Asian (AFC) team that has not automatically qualified Peru failed to qualify for the World Cup, losing their intercontinental play off against Australia

QUALIFIED: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador

Asia – 4.5 Places Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

The AFC qualification process is similarly complicated to CAF qualifiers, the 12 lowest ranked AFC teams play two legged games, with the winners progressing to the next round The 6 winners then joined the other 34 Asian nations, drawn into 8 groups of 5 teams. The 7 group winners and the 5 best runners up progressed to the third round Even though Qatar won their group, they did not have to participate in the next round of qualifiers since they are the host nation of the World Cup

PROGRESSED: China, Syria, Australia, IR Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Japan, UAE, Vietnam, South Korea, Lebanon

The final group round consists of the remaining 12 nations that would be placed in 2 groups of 6 10 games would be played in which the group winners and runners up earning their spot in the World Cup

QUALIFIED: IR Iran, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia

The 2 teams that finished third would meet in a one match play off The winner of this match would progress to the intercontinental play off against the South American play off team

QUALIFIED: Australia (Play off win against Peru)

KEY PLAYERS

NEYMAR

(PARIS-SAINT-GERMAIN) – FORWARD

Speed, skill, flair and creative vision is what Neymar can bring to any game if he is on song There will be no shortage of goals when he takes the pitch

KEVIN DE BRUYNE (MANCHESTER CITY) MIDFIELDER

Arguably the best player in the Premier League right now, De Bruyne will be pivotal in creating, as well as scoring goals Can he take Belgium all the way?

LIONEL MESSI (PARIS-SAINT-GERMAIN) – FORWARD

This will be the last World Cup for the 7 time Ballon d’Or winner The GOAT debate would surely be put to rest if he can lead the in form Argentina side to World Cup glory.

KARIM BENZEMA (REAL MADRID) – STRIKER

As one of the most prolific strikers in the game right now, he is proving unstoppable. The World Cup title will cap off an amazing year for the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner

HARRY KANE (TOTTENHAM) – STRIKER

Kane has established himself as a prolific goal scorer for both club and country Reaching 50 international goals for England, he’s hoping to use his experience to help England win the title.

GAVI (BARCELONA) MIDFIELDER

The 18 year old and 2022 Young Player of the Year, burst onto the scene last season for Barcelona, showing his close ball control, technique and attacking prowess. Since the call up to the national team, he has never looked back

LUKA MODRIC (REAL MADRID) MIDFIELDER

One of the few to win the Ballon d’Or in the Ronaldo/Messi era, Modric has established himself as one of the best central midfielders in the last decade Can he lead his Croatian side to one better this time around and lift the World Cup trophy in his last World Cup?

*Ballon d’Or An annual award published by the France Football Magazine that honours the best male player over the previous year The most prestigious individual award in football

Spain

Brazil

Belgium

Argentina

France

England

Croatia

Netherlands VIRGIL VAN DIJK (LIVERPOOL) CENTRE BACK

Established as one of the best centre backs in the last 5 years Van Dijk will use his ability to read the play to keep any team from scoring against his team. He would be hoping to carry on his recent success with Liverpool with a solid tournament

Portugal CRISTIANO RONALDO (MANCHESTER UNITED) – FORWARD

Most likely his last World Cup, Ronaldo will be wanting to turn around his domestic form Can he get the upper hand on Messi and etch his name in football as one of the greatest players of all time?

Uruguay DARWIN NUNEZ (LIVERPOOL) – STRIKER

Scoring 34 goals in 41 appearances for Benfica last season, the Liverpool signing will need to utilise his raw power this tournament. Not off to the best start this season, Nunez will need to turn his form around to give Uruguay any chance to win the World Cup.

Senegal SADIO MANE (BAYERN MUNICH) FORWARD

Having won the Africa Cup of Nations Mane will look to put Senegal back on the footballing map Let’s hope he recovers in time to be at his scintillating and goalscoring best this tournament

Poland ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI (BARCELONA) – STRIKER

The highest goal scorer of the last 2 seasons in Europe Lewandowski is a serious threat inside the 18 yard box. Whether it’s the air or from the ground, his finishing is nothing short of world class

Qatar AKRAM AFIF (AL SADD) – FORWARD

Afif’s attacking instinct, dribbling, vision and finishing make him Qatar’s biggest asset this tournament How far can he take Qatar in their first World Cup outing?

Australia MATTHEW RYAN (FC COPENHAGEN) GOALKEEPER

There is no doubt the Socceroos goalkeeper is key to the team’s success this tournament Coming up against France and Denmark in the group stages Matt Ryan will have to be at his shot stopping best to get his team to the next round

THE FIELD AT PLAY

Goalkeeper

Everyone knows this position. The goalkeeper has evolved from being just a shot stopper, they have become an integral part of keeping possession of the ball when playing out the back. This player is often the one talking to their defenders in order to maintain their formation.

Centre Back

Usually the strongest and most physically threatening players on the field, the centre back is responsible for blocking the most dangerous areas of the pitch against the opposing offence. Their physical presence in the air makes them great prospects for attacking set pieces such as corners and free kicks. Sometimes centre backs can play behind the defensive line as a sweeper.

A defender that plays as a left or right back, these players operate as both defenders and attackers Typically one of the most athletic players on the field, the modern day wing back is required to cover large distances to support the midfield and the forwards.

Wing/Full Back

Defensive Midfielder

The perfect blend of the centre back and centre midfielder this player has the ability to both win the ball and pass the ball. Positioned just ahead of the defensive line they usually do not cover the same distance as a box to box midfielder. This player is crucial in getting possession of the ball and setting up the attack.

Centre Midfielder

Commonly referred to as the box to box midfielder, this player has to be a sniper with their passing, have excellent technical skills and demonstrate impressive agility These attacking and defensively minded players cover the most distance on the field, helping the team in retrieving possession and by creating goal scoring opportunities

Sitting just in front of the centre midfielder this player is more attacking focused, offering their services mainly in the opposition half of the field. Highly technical and creative, the attacking midfielder is a very skilled player with the ability to make decisive passes to their forwards and even provide shots on goal as well

Winger

This is where speed and flair join as one Positioned on the sides of the forward line, this player is commonly the fastest and most skilful player on the field They’re also great finishers and strikers of the ball. Their job is to beat their defenders and create goals, either by scoring or assisting them They must also help back in defence when the opposing team have possession in their half of the field.

Goals, goals and goals. The striker is at the top and centre of the formation. They must use their speed, strength and finishing ability to score goals either from the ground or from the air. They are also expected to hold up the ball when their team is in possession when not near the opposition goal.

Forward/ Striker

Attacking Midfielder

The opening game of the World Cup is sure to be a fiery clash, their one and only meeting ended 4 3 in favour of Qatar. It wasn’t without its heated moments with two Ecuadorians red carded in the match This will be a great opportunity to see what Qatar can bring to the world stage in their first ever World Cup A match up of this intensity should be a great kick off for the 2022 World Cup

The return of Netherlands to the World Cup and the rise of Senegal, this should be a quality game After missing out on the 2018 World Cup, and with news of their Manager’s (Louis van Gaal) prostate cancer diagnosis, the Dutch have all the motivation they could ask for going into this tournament This, paired with quality of their star studded line up should spell a good campaign for the Dutch The Africa Cup of Nations Champions head into this game as underdogs but should not be underestimated. Having beat Egypt twice in penalties to win the Cup of Nations and qualify for the World Cup, Senegal knows how to get a result Then there’s Sadio Mane who can win the game for them at any moment Is this the last World

of De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku, Couture

been waiting

chance to make their mark. This

tempo to this game and hope for a

The number one ranked side in the world Brazil are coming off their most successful CONMEBOL (South American) qualifying campaign ever and are heavy favourites in this match. Their star studded line up will see Brazil score many goals this tournament However, Serbia is not to be underrated With the likes of Vlahovic, Tadic, Jovic and Mitrovic, the Serbian national team have plenty of firepower themselves Can they get an upset against the World Cup favourites?

The homeland versus the colony. Football against soccer. England and the USA. These countries are no strangers to each other, their rivalry breaking the realms of sport has lasted generations England head into this clash as favourites, with many of their stars representing the best teams in the English Premier League You shouldn’t discount the U.S with stars like Christian Pulisic, McKennie and Tyler Adams representing their country It should also be noted that England are yet to win against the USA in their previous two meetings at the World Cup, earning a draw and suffering a loss This will be a very interesting game

There’s no denying France’s star power with the likes of Mbappe and Benzema leading their forward line, however, in the group stages last World Cup, France was held to a 0 0 draw by Denmark Being the two best ranked teams in the group, this match will be crucial in deciding which team gets the easier draw in the knockout stages With the return of Christen Eriksen for Denmark, who suffered a cardiac arrest last World Cup, there will be plenty of eyes over this match France are the favourites, but don’t rule Denmark out for a

Argentina lead Mexico in the World Cup head to head 3 0. With the likes of Messi, Di Maria, Rodrigo de Paul, Lautaro Martinez, Argentina head into this match as the favourites but you never know, Mexico have made it out of the group stages of every World Cup its qualified for since 1978 This game is particularly important for the two sides as they both face Poland in the group stages. Both sides will be desperate for a win to qualify for the knockout stages, but Messi will be eager to do more than that in his last World Cup The European powerhouses The 2010 (Spain) and 2014 (Germany) World Cup champions collide Both sides will be eager to brush off the World Cup Champions curse this time round Spain and Germany, in the following World Cup after winning have failed to make it out of the group stages, Spain crashing out in 2014 and Germany in 2018 You can’t deny the quality these two teams possess, Spain’s young talent bursting through and Germany’s experience This will be a game of the highest quality It’s revenge time for Portugal, looking to avenge their defeat against Uruguay, the team that knocked them out in the round of 16 of the last World Cup courtesy of an Edison Cavani double This will likely be the last World Cup for a few Uruguay legends, including Cavani, Luis Suarez and Diego Godin Likewise for Portugal this may also be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World Cup as well It’s hard to say who the favourite is for this one with Uruguay’s

forward

against Portugal’s midfield, and of course, Ronaldo

World Cup games are usually greater than any individual battle, but this one can’t be ignored, Messi against Lewandowski The 2021 Ballon D’or holder against the current FIFA Player of the Year recipient The two best players in the world come head to head. Argentina are once again favourites in this match, but they should not be complacent, Poland has lethal quality up front Another tough game that will be important in deciding which team will progress to the next stage.

The clash of the aging golden generations Belgium is yet to win any trophy with arguably their best generation of players, and this may just be their last chance to do so The same can be said for Croatia, with this tournament likely to be many of their last national team campaign Especially for the 37 year old Luka Modric, who will be wanting to improve on the team’s second place in Russia Like Germany and Spain, this will be another game of the highest quality, you don’t want to miss this

Everyone remembers how this match ended in the knockout stages of the 2010 World Cup Ghana was about score the winner to make the semi finals when Luis Suarez handled the ball on the goal line The Ghanian striker Gyan missed the penalty and subsequently, went on to lose to Uruguay in a penalty shootout. This was painted as one of the most infamous victories in World Cup history With the history of this match, this might just be the most anticipated match of the group stages

Qatar

First World Cup: 2022 Last World Cup:

Best Result:

Team Captain: Hassan Al Haydos

Coached by: Felix Sanchez Player to watch: Akram Afif

All time most caps: Hassan Al Haydos (163*)

Ecuador

FIFA Ranking: 44

First World Cup: 2002

Last World Cup: 2014

Best Result: R16 (06)

Team Captain: Enner Valencia

Coached by: Gustavo Alfaro

Player to watch: Pervis Estupiñán

All time most caps: Ivan Hurtado (168)

Senegal

FIFA Ranking: 18

First World Cup: 2002

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Quarter Finals (02)

Team Captain: Kalidou Koulibaly

Coached by: Aliou Cisse Player to watch: Sadio Mane

All time most caps: Henri Camara (99)

Netherlands

FIFA Ranking: 7

First World Cup: 1934

Last World Cup: 2014

Best Result: 2nd Place (74, 78, 10)

Team Captain: Virgil van Dijk

Coached by: Louis van Gaal

Player to watch: Virgil van Dijk

All time most caps: Wesley Sneijder (134)

England

First World Cup: 1950

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Champions (66)

Team Captain: Harry Kane

Coached by: Garry Southgate

Player to watch: Harry Kane

All time most caps: Peter Shilton (125)

Iran

FIFA Ranking: 23

First World Cup: 1978

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Group Stage

Team Captain: Ehsan Hajsafi

Coached by: Dragan Skocic

Player to watch: Sadar Azmoun

All time most caps: Javad Nekounam (151)

USA

FIFA Ranking: 14

First World Cup: 1930

Last World Cup: 2014

Best Result: 3rd Place (30)

Team Captain: Christian Pulisic

Coached by: Gregg Berhalter

Player to watch: Christian Pulisic

All time most caps: Cobi Jones (164)

Wales

FIFA Ranking: 19

First World Cup: 1958

Last World Cup: 1958

Best Result: Quarter Finals (58)

Team Captain: Gareth Bale

Coached by: Rob Page

Player to watch: Gareth Bale

All time most caps: Chris Gunter (109)

ARGENTINA SAUDI ARABIA MEXICO POLAND

Argentina

First World Cup: 1930 Last World Cup: 2014

Team Captain: Lionel Messi

Coached by: Lionel Scaloni Player to watch: Lionel Messi

All time most caps: Lionel Messi (162*)

Saudi Arabia

FIFA Ranking: 53

First World Cup: 1994

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: R16 (1994)

Team Captain: Salman Al Faraj

Coached by: Herve Renard Player to watch: Abdulrahman Ghareeb

All time most caps: Mohamed Al Deayea (178)

Mexico

FIFA Ranking: 12

First World Cup: 1930

Last World Cup: 2014

Best Result: Quarter Finals (70, 86)

Team Captain: Andres Guardado

Coached by: Gerardo Martino Player to watch: Raul Jimenez

All time most caps: Claudio Suarez (177)

Poland

FIFA Ranking: 26

First World Cup: 1938

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: 3rd Place (74, 82)

Team Captain: Robert Lewandowski

Coached by: Czesław Michniewicz

Player to watch: Robert Lewandowski

All time most caps: Robert Lewandowski (132*)

France

First World Cup: 1930

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Champions (98, 18)

Team Captain: Hugo Lloris

Coached by: Didier Deschamps

Player to watch: Kylian Mbappe

All time most caps: Lilian Thuram (142)

Australia

FIFA Ranking: 39

First World Cup: 1974

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: R16 (06)

Team Captain: Matthew Ryan

Coached by: Graham Arnold

Player to watch: Matthew Ryan

All time most caps: Mark Schwarzer (109)

Denmark

FIFA Ranking: 10

First World Cup: 1986

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Quarter Finals (98)

Team Captain: Simon Kjær

Coached by: Kasper Hjulmand

Player to watch: Kasper Schmeichel

All time most caps: Peter Schmeichel (129)

Tunisia

FIFA Ranking: 30

First World Cup: 1978

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Group Stage

Team Captain: Youssef Msakni

Coached by: Jalel Kadr

Player to watch: Ellyes Skhiri

All time most caps: Radhi Jaïdi (105)

Group E SPAIN COSTA RICA GERMANY JAPAN

Spain

FIFA

First World Cup: 1934

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Champions (10)

Team Captain: Sergio Busquets

Coached by: Luis Enrique

Player to watch: Gavi

All time most caps: Sergio Ramos (180*)

Costa Rica

FIFA Ranking: 34

First World Cup: 1990

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Quarter Finals (14)

Team Captain: Bryan Ruiz

Coached by: Luis Fernando Suárez

Player to watch: Keylor Navas

All time most caps: Celso Borges (153)

Germany

FIFA Ranking: 11

First World Cup: 1934

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Champions (54, 74, 90, 14)

Team Captain: Manuel Neuer

Coached by: Hansi Flick Player to watch: Toni Kroos

All time most caps: Lothar Matthäus (150)

Japan

FIFA Ranking: 24

First World Cup: 1998

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: R16 (02, 10)

Team Captain: Maya Yoshida

Coached by: Hajime Moriyasu

Player to watch: Takefusa Kubo

All time most caps: Yasuhito Endo (152)

Belgium

FIFA

First World Cup: 1930

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: 3rd Place (18)

Team Captain: Eden Hazard

Coached by: Roberto Martínez

Player to watch: Kevin de Bruyne

All time most caps: Jan Vertonghen (139*)

Canada

FIFA Ranking: 43

First World Cup: 1986

Last World Cup: 1986

Best Result: Group Stage

Team Captain: Atiba Hutchinson

Coached by: John Herdman

Player to watch: Alphonso Davies

All time most caps: Atiba Hutchinson (97)

Morocco

FIFA Ranking: 22

First World Cup: 1970

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: R16 (86)

Team Captain: Romain Saïss

Coached by: TBD (Walid Regragui)

Player to watch: Achraf Hakimi

All time most caps: Noureddine Naybet (115)

Croatia

FIFA Ranking: 15

First World Cup: 1998

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: 2nd Place (2018)

Team Captain: Luka Modric

Coached by: Zlatko Dalic

Player to watch: Luka Modric

All time most caps: Luka Modric (152*)

Brazil

First World Cup: 1930 Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Champions (58, 62, 70, 94, 02)

Team Captain: Thiago Silva*

Coached by: Tite Player to watch: Neymar Jr

All time most caps: Cafu (142)

Serbia

FIFA Ranking: 25

First World Cup: 1930 Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: 4th Place (30, 62)

Team Captain: Dušan Tadić

Coached by: Dragan Stojković Player to watch: Dušan Vlahović

All time most caps: Branislav Ivanović (105)

Switzerland

FIFA Ranking: 16

First World Cup: 1934 Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Quarter Finals (34, 38, 54

Team Captain: Granit Xhaka

Coached by: Murat Yakin Player to watch: Granit Xhaka

All time most caps: Heinz Hermann (118)

Cameroon

FIFA Ranking: 38

First World Cup: 1982

Last World Cup: 2014

Best Result: Quarter Finals (90)

Team Captain: Vincent Aboubakar

Coached by: Rigobert Song Player to watch: Karl Toko Ekambi

All time most caps: Rigobert Song (118)

Portugal

FIFA Ranking: 9

First World Cup: 1966

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: 3rd Place (66)

Team Captain: Cristiano Ronaldo

Coached by: Fernando Santos Player to watch: Cristiano Ronaldo

All time most caps: Cristiano Ronaldo (189*)

Ghana

FIFA Ranking: 60

First World Cup: 2006

Last World Cup: 2014

Best Result: Quarter Finals (10)

Team Captain: André Ayew

Coached by: Otto Addo

Player to watch: Thomas Partey

All time most caps: Asamoah Gyan (109*)

Uruguay

FIFA Ranking: 13

First World Cup: 1930

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: Champions (30 ,50)

Team Captain: Diego Godín

Coached by: Diego Alonso Player to watch: Darwin Nunez

All time most caps: Diego Godín (159*)

Korea Republic

FIFA Ranking: 28

First World Cup: 1954

Last World Cup: 2018

Best Result: 4th Place (02)

Team Captain: Son Heung min

Coached by: Paulo Bento

Player to watch: Son Heung min

All time most caps: Hong Myung bo (136)

GROUP STAGE

DATE KO PROGRAMME

21 Nov 3am M1: Qatar v Ecuador

12am M3: England v IR Iran

22 Nov 3am M2: Senegal v Netherlands

6am M4: USA v Wales

9pm M8: Argentina v Saudi Arabia

12am M6: Denmark v Tunisia

23 Nov 3am M7: Mexico v Poland

6am M5: France v Australia

9pm M12: Morocco v Croatia

12am M11: Germany v Japan

24 Nov 3am M10: Spain v Costa Rica

6am M9: Belgium v Canada

9pm M13: Switzerland v Cameroon

12am M14: Uruguay v South Korea

25 Nov 3am M15: Portugal v Ghana

6am M16: Brazil v Serbia

9pm M17: Wales v IR Iran

12am M18: Qatar v Senegal

26 Nov 3am M19: Netherlands v Ecuador

6am M20: England v USA

9pm M21: Tunisia v Australia

12am M22: Poland v Saudi Arabia

27 Nov 3am M23: France v Denmark

6am M24: Argentina v Mexico

9pm M25: Japan v Costa Rica

12am M26: Belgium v Morocco

28 Nov 3am M27: Croatia v Canada

6am M28: Spain v Germany

9pm M29: Cameroon v Serbia

12am M30: South Korea v Ghana

29 Nov 3am M31: Brazil v Switzerland

6am M32: Portugal v Uruguay

30 Nov 2am M36: Netherlands v Qatar

2am M35: Ecuador v Senegal

6am M33: Wales v England

6am M34: IR Iran v USA

DATE KO PROGRAMME

1 Dec 2am M37: Australia v Denmark

2am M38: Tunisia v France

6am M39: Poland v Argentina

6am M40: Saudi Arabia v Mexico

2 Dec 2am M41: Croatia v Belgium

2am M42: Canada v Morroco

6am M43: Japan v Spain

6am M44: Costa Rica v Germany

3 Dec 2am M46: South Korea v Portugal

2am M45: Ghana v Uruguay

6am M48: Cameroon v Brazil

6am M47: Serbia v Switzerland

FINALS

DATE KO PROGRAMME

4 Dec 2am M49 Rd of 16: 1A v 2B

6am M50 Rd of 16: 1C v 2D 5 Dec 2am M52 Rd of 16: 1D v 2C

6am M51 Rd of 16: 1B v 2A 6 Dec 2am M53 Rd of 16: 1E v 2F

6am M54 Rd of 16: 1G v 2H 7 Dec 2am M55 Rd of 16: 1F v 2E

6am M56 Rd of 16: 1H v 2G 10 Dec 2am M58 Quarter Final: W53 v W54

6am M57 Quarter Final: W49 v W50

Dec 2am M60 Quarter Final: W55 v W56

6am M59 Quarter Final: W51 v W52

Dec 6am M61 Semi Final : W57 v W58

Dec 6am M62 Semi Final: W59 v W60

Dec 2am M63 3rd v 4 th

Dec 2am M64 Final

THE

FINALS

This is where all the nations who have made it through their continental and intercontinental qualifiers meet

32 teams are split into 8 groups of 4 teams according to FIFA’s complex process. In this system, the host nation and the top 7 ranked teams are split into different groups Also, to allow for geographical spread, no 2 teams from the same continent are allowed to be in the same group with the exception of Europe (maximum of 2 European teams are permitted in 1 group.

Playing each other once, the group winner and runners up will progress to the Round of 16. The 16 teams then play single game knockout matches in which the winner progresses to the quarter finals, semi finals and grand final.

In the knockout games there must be a winner and a loser, extra time and penalty kicks are to be used if necessary to determine a victor.

The losers of the two semi final matches will play each other before the Final to decide 3rd place. It goes without saying the winner of the grand final are crowned champions of the world. Go the green & gold!

INDUCEMENT RULES

When chatting to customers about the TAB App, Venue Mode, or betting on the World Cup, we ask that you please keep the below do’s and don’ts at top of mind to avoid inducing punters to place a bet or open a TAB account.

For more information, please download the TAB App & Digital Commissions Guide from

DO DO NOT

Tell customers about the features of the TAB App

Help customers download and sign up to the TAB App on their device

Facilitate access to gambling support services

Advise customers that they can set a pre commitment limit

Consult with customer service if a customer suggests they have a gambling problem

Encourage gambling beyond ones means

Serve or sign up minors. If a customer looks under 25, ask to see their ID.

Serve/sign up intoxicated customers

Breach a customer’s privacy

Breach state laws around inducements

Tell a customer that you can offer them something for signing up to a TAB account

Offer customers betting vouchers for signing up to a TAB account