The 2018 FIFA World Cup officially begins on June 14.
The world’s best teams and players — including Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi — will descend on Russia to play on soccer’s biggest stage. It’s a tournament where legends are born, hearts are broken, and, when all is said and done, one team is crowned the World Cup champion: the pinnacle of the world’s most popular sport.
At least half the world will tune in, even if most Americans won’t — in part because the US didn’t qualify for this year’s tournament. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth watching.