The time has finally come today since Germany won the championship in Brazil in 2014. For people who plan to enjoy watching the world festival on TV in Japan, I made the perfect TV schedule guide, which considers the time difference with Russia, and indicates public TV stations to watch in real time.
The 21st World Cup is held from June 15 to July 16
The opening match, Russia against Saudi Arabia, is supposed to start at 12am on June 15 for Japan time. The 6 hour time difference between Japan and Russia might cause lack of sleep for people in Japan during the World Cup sometimes, but who cares for the next day to share the pleasures with many people over the world? Before the exciting ceremony in a few hours, let’s see the groups again to expect which countries could go through.
For watching all 64 matches comfortably on TV, you should know the Japanese TV channel (NHK : channel 1, Nippon TV : channel 4, TV asahi : channel 5, TBS : channel 6, Fuji TV : channel 8), and when the matches starts for Japan time in advance. Here’s the all schedule from group stages to final not to miss your favorite matches.
Group stages
Friday June 15
Russia vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 12am – NHK
Egypt vs Uruguay (Group A) – Ekaterinburg – 9pm – Fuji TV
Saturday June 16
Morocco vs Iran (Group B) – St Petersburg – 12am – NHK
Portugal vs Spain (Group B) – Sochi – 3am – NHK
France vs Australia (Group C) – Kazan – 7pm – NHK
Argentina vs Iceland (Group D) – Moscow (Spartak) – 10pm – NHK
Sunday June 17
Peru vs Denmark (Group C) – Saransk – 1am – Fuji TV
Croatia vs Nigeria (Group D) – Kaliningrad – 4am – Nippon TV
Costa Rica vs Serbia (Group E) – Samara – 9pm – Fuji TV
Monday June 18
Germany vs Mexico (Group F) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 12am – NHK
Brazil vs Switzerland (Group E) – Rostov-on-Don – 3am – NHK
Sweden vs South Korea (Group F) – Nizhny Novgorod – 9pm – NHK
Tuesday June 19
Belgium vs Panama (Group G) – Sochi – 12am – Fuji TV
Tunisia vs England (Group G) – Volgograd – 3am – NHK
Colombia vs Japan (Group H) – Saransk – 9pm – NHK
Wednesday June 20
Poland vs Senegal (Group H) – Moscow (Spartak) – 12am – NHK
Russia vs Egypt (Group A) – St Petersburg – 3am – Nippon TV
Portugal vs Morocco (Group B) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 9pm – TV asahi
Thursday June 21
Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) – Rostov-on-Don – 12am – NHK
Iran vs Spain (Group B) – Kazan – 3am – Nippon TV
Denmark vs Australia (Group C) – Samara – 9pm – Fuji TV
Friday June 22
France vs Peru (Group C) – Ekaterinburg – 12am – NHK
Argentina vs Croatia (Group D) – Nizhny Novgorod – 3am – Nippon TV
Brazil vs Costa Rica (Group E) – St Petersburg – 9pm – TV asahi
Saturday June 23
Nigeria vs Iceland (Group D) – Volgograd – 12am – NHK
Serbia vs Switzerland (Group E) – Kaliningrad – 3am – NHK
Belgium vs Tunisia (Group G) – Moscow (Spartak) – 9pm – Fuji TV
Sunday June 24
South Korea vs Mexico (Group F) – Rostov-on-Don – 12am – TV asahi
Germany v Sweden (Group F) – Sochi – 3am – TBS
England vs Panama (Group G) – Nizhny Novgorod – 9pm – NHK
Monday June 25
Japan vs Senegal (Group H) – Ekaterinburg – 12am – Nippon TV
Poland vs Colombia (Group H) – Kazan – 3am – TBS
Uruguay vs Russia (Group A) – Samara – 11pm – TBS
Saudi Arabia vs Egypt (Group A) – Volgograd – 11pm – NHK
Tuesday June 26
Spain vs Morocco (Group B) – Kaliningrad – 3am- Nippon TV
Iran vs Portugal (Group B) – Saransk – 3am – NHK
Denmark vs France (Group C) – Moscow (Luzhniki) – 11pm – TV asahi
Australia vs Peru (Group C) – Sochi – 11pm – NHK
Wednesday June 27
Nigeria vs Argentina (Group D) – St Petersburg – 3am – NHK
Iceland vs Croatia (Group D) – Rostov-on-Don – 3am – Nippon TV
South Korea vs Germany (Group F) – Kazan – 11pm – NHK
Mexico vs Sweden (Group F) – Ekaterinburg – 11pm – TBS
Thursday June 28
Serbia vs Brazil (Group E) – Moscow (Spartak) – 3am – NHK
Switzerland vs Costa Rica (Group E) – Nizhny Novgorod – 3am – Fuji TV
Japan vs Poland (Group H) – Volgograd – 11pm – Fuji TV
Senegal vs Colombia (Group H) – Samara – 11pm – NHK
Friday June 29
England vs Belgium (Group G) – Kaliningrad – 3am – NHK
Panama vs Tunisia (Group G) – Saransk – 3am – Nippon TV
Round of 16
Saturday June 30
Group C winner vs Group D runner-up – Kazan, 11pm (Match 50) – TBS
Sunday July 1
Group A winner vs Group B runner-up- Sochi, 3am (Match 49) – NHK
Group B winner vs Group A runner-up- Moscow (Luzhniki), 11pm (Match 51) – TBS
Monday July 2
Group D winner vs Group C runner-up – Nizhny Novgorod, 3am (Match 52) – TV asahi
Group E winner vs Group F runner-up – Samara, 11pm (Match 53) – NHK
Tuesday July 3
Group G winner vs Group H runner-up – Rostov-on-Don, 3am (Match 54) – NHK
Group F winner vs Group E runner-up – St Petersburg 11pm (Match 55) – TV asahi
Wednesday July 4
Group H winner vs Group G runner-up – Moscow (Spartak), 3am (Match 56) – NHK
Quarter-finals
Friday July 6
Winner match 49 vs Winner match 50 – Nizhny Novgorod, 11pm (Match 57) – TBS
Saturday July 7
Winner match 53 vs Winner match 54 – Kazan, 3am (Match 58) – TBS
Winner match 55 vs Winner match 56 – Samara, 11pm (Match 60) – NHK
Sunday July 8
Winner match 51 vs Winner match 52 – Sochi, 7pm (Match 59) – NHK
Semi-finals
Wednesday July 11
Winner match 57 vs Winner match 58 – St Petersburg, 3am (Match 61) – TV asahi
Thursday July 12
Winner match 59 vs Winner match 60 – Moscow (Luzhniki), 3am (Match 62) – NHK
Third place play-off
Saturday July 14
Loser match 61 vs Loser match 62 – St Petersburg, 11pm – TV asahi
Final
Monday July 16
Moscow (Luzhniki), 12am – NHK
Do you think which country win the championship this time? Reportedly, the latest expectation by AI about the possibility that Japan win, is only 0.3 % so far. Hope AI is not good enough yet to read future.
