40 days to Russia 2018: Forty fun facts

We have curated a list of some of the most memorable moments from the World Cup over the years and mixed it up with a collection of facts to help you up your numbers game.

A photo taken on April 2, 2018 shows Zabivaka, the official FIFA World Cup 2018 mascot installed at the Manezhnaya square in downtown Moscow.

 

1 One hit wonders. Wales, Jamaica, Cuba, Kuwait, Iraq, Indonesia, Haiti and Canada are some of the nations which have featured in only one World Cup so far.

2 This is the first time a tournament has taken place across two continents – Europe and Asia.

3 Around 3.2 billion people watched the 2014 World Cup which is nearly half the planet’s population.

4   A fourth substitute will be allowed in extra time at the 2018 World Cup.

5 Russia's Oleg Salenko holds the record for most goals in a World Cup game (five against Cameroon in 1994).

6 2018 will be Nigeria's sixth World Cup.

7 FIFA has seven partners on board  for the tournament — adidas, Coco-Cola, Wanda, Gazprom, Hyundai/Kia Motors, Qatar Airways and Visa

8 The last eight Belgium goals at World Cups were scored after the 70th minute.

9 Nine of the 12 World Cup stadiums in Russia were built just for the tournament.

10 Of all current players, Germany's Thomas Müller has the most goals (10) in the World Cup.

 

 

11 The 2018 World Cup is spread across 11 cities in Russia this summer.

12 The World Cup is expected to cost Russia close to $12 billion.

13   France's Just Fontaine holds the record for most goals scored at a single World Cup (13 in 1958).

14 Russia vs Saudia Arabia is the curtain raiser on JUNE 14 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow at 1700 CET.

15   The highest score in qualifying this year was a 15-0 win for Qatar against Bhutan.

16 Mexico has qualified for the World Cup the most times (16) without winning it.

17   Northern Ireland’s Norman Whiteside holds the record for the youngest player to start in a World Cup. Whiteside was 17 years, 41 days old when he made his WC debut in 1982.

18   Germany scored 18 goals, the most by a team in the 2014 World Cup. It had the most number of goals 2010 (16) and 2006 (14) as well.

19   Russian residents will be able to obtain cheaper tickets for the final with prices starting at €19. For the rest, ticket prices range from €85 ($105) to €892 for the final.

20 66,000 Iceland fans have requested tickets for the 2018 World Cup — that’s 20% of the country’s entire population. TOPSHOT - Iceland's fans celebrates at the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification football match between Iceland and Kosovo in Reykjavik, Iceland on October 9, 2017. Iceland qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2018 as smallest country ever after beating Kosovo 2-0 at home in Reykjavik. / AFP PHOTO / Haraldur Gudjonsson / ALTERNATIVE CROP

 

 

 

 

21 It is the 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup.

22 The number of matches played by Australia on the road to Russia 2018, equalling the record set by Honduras and Trinidad and Tobago in the qualifiers for Korea/Japan 2002.

23 The 23-member squad for each team will be announced by June 4.

24 The number of consecutive passes made by Argentina before midfielder Esteban Cambiasso scored against Serbia and Montenegro during the first round of the 2006 World Cup.

25 Helmut Schön is the coach with the most matches in the history of World Cups — 25 (All with Germany.)

26 The most goals in a single World Cup match occurred on June 26, 1954: Austria beat Switzerland 7-5.

27 All of Denmark’s 27 goals at World Cups have come from inside the box.

28   The runner-up team of the 2018 WC will earn $28 million in prize money. The winner will walk away with $38 million.

29 Austria has played 29 consecutive games where either of the team has scored at least one goal.  Only USA (33) has featured in more consecutive games that didn't end goal-less.

30 A 30-year-old Lionel Messi will try to get his hand on the trophy, perhaps for the final time at a World Cup. MOSCOW, RUSSIA - NOVEMBER 11: Lionel Messi of Argentina looks on during an international friendly match between Russia and Argentina at Luzhniki Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Epsilon/Getty Images)

 

 

31 In 2001, Australia beat American Samoa 31-0 on its way to qualifying for the 2002 tournament.

32 There were more goals scored in the 2014 World Cup by substitutes (32) than in any other tournament.

A cameraman films the poster of French football player Thierry Henry outside FC Barcelona's Joan Gamper Sports Center near Barcelona on November 20, 2009. France captain Thierry Henry said today that "the fairest solution" to the row surrounding his handball in the World Cup playoff against Ireland would be to replay the match. He renewed his admission that he had controlled the ball with his hand, but insisted it was "instinctive" in the heat of the action. AFP PHOTO / JOSEP LAGO   33 Ireland asked FIFA to let it enter the 2010 World Cup as the tournament's 33rd team after Thierry Henry's infamous handball helped France qualify for the competition at the expense of the Irish. Its request was denied.

34 The number of teams that took part in the qualification process for the 1950 World Cup, the first after the end of the Second World War.

35 The number of players in each initial squad that will be announced by May 14

36 36 referees and 63 assistant referees appointed as Russia 2018 Match Officials

37 Guillermo Stabile scored in the 37th minute to give Argentina a 2-1 lead in the 1930 World Cup final. Uruguay came from behind to win 4-2.

38 Pablo Escobar (Bolivia) at 38 years and 91 days was the oldest goalscorer during the 2018 qualifier.

39 Germany was the only UEFA team to win all its qualifiers and had the best goal difference (+39).

40 Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff was 40 when he became the oldest player ever to win the World Cup, at the 1982 tournament in Spain.