OPENING FIXTURES

GROUP A

Qatar v Ecuador, Sunday 4pm

Hosts Qatar will be playing their first World Cup game when they take on Ecuador with an entirely domestic-based squad and the third-lowest world ranking in the tournament at 50. They face the third-youngest squad at this year’s event Senegal v Netherlands, Monday 4pm Injury has denied Senegal striker Sadio Mane a meeting with former Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk in their opener against the Netherlands. Senegal are Africa Cup of Nations champions, while the Dutch are unbeaten in their last 15 games since losing 2-0 to the Czech Republic last June.