The best teams of all the continents together with the world champion and the host team will rehearse the world championship in 2018.

Despite considerable interest in the confrontation between champions of all continents and the strongest team in the world, the Confederations Cup was conceived rather as a test of the readiness of the host country of the upcoming mundial to host the main football tournament of the planet.

So, what do you need to know about the upcoming tournament?.

History The very idea of ??holding a tournament between champions of different continents was born in many football fans, but the first one was realized by the King of Saudi Arabia Fahd, who in 1992 and 1995 organized in his homeland a competition of the best national teams and the host country. However, there was no strict criterion for selecting participants, and only four teams took part in the first tournament, among which there was no representative of Europe (Argentina, Saudi Arabia, the USA and Cote d'Ivoire).

Since 1997, FIFA has taken the tournament under its jurisdiction, but the first two editions of the competition were also included in the register of the Confederations Cup.

Until now, nine tournaments have been held, which have only been held since 2005 for the year before the World Cup. Most of the victories in the Brazilian national team - 4, twice the trophy went to the national team of France and one time managed to defeat Argentina, Mexico and Denmark.

Participants and format of the tournament In the current Confederation Cup eight teams will take part: Germany (world champion), Portugal (European champion), Australia (Asian champion), Cameroon (African champion), Mexico (CONCACAF champion), Chile (CONMEBOL champion), New The Zealand (Oceania) and Russia (the host country).

Teams are divided into two groups of four teams in each. The two best teams from each quartet reach the semifinals.

In case of equal points for determining the place occupied by the team in the group, the following shall be taken into account: a) the difference of the scored and conceded balls, b) the number of goals scored, c) the indicators in the face-to-face meetings, d) Fair Play points (yellow card - minus 1 point, Delete after repeated warning - 3, straight red - 4, yellow and then straight red - 5).

If all the indicators are equal, the fate of the teams will decide the lots.

Calendar of matches Group A June 17 Russia - New Zealand (St. Petersburg) June 18 Portugal - Mexico (Kazan) June 21 Russia - Portugal (Moscow) Mexico - New Zealand (Sochi) June 24 Mexico - Russia (Kazan) New Zealand - Portugal (Saint Petersburg) Group B June 18 Cameroon-Chile (Moscow) June 19 Australia-Germany (Sochi) June 22 Cameroon-Australia (St. Petersburg) Germany-Chile (Kazan) June 25 Germany-Cameroon (Sochi) Chile-Australia (Moscow) 1/2 finals June 28 Winner A - Second place In (Kazan) on June 29 Winner B - Second place A (Sochi) Match for third place July 2 (Moscow) Final July 2 (St. Petersburg) 3. Themis Fights of the Confederations Cup will serve nine referee brigades, three of which represent Europe, two each - Asia and South America, and one - Africa and North America. Oceania in the judiciary will be represented by only one reserve referee.

Another eight referees will act as video assistants to the main arbitrators.

Favorites of the tournament The only team that will participate in the Confederations Cup is not the strongest team, is the German team, but even without several recognized leaders the world champion is clearly ready to compete for the main trophy of the tournament.

The main competitor of the undoubtedly can be considered the national team of Portugal, especially after the readiness to join the European champions has expressed to Cristiano Ronaldo. The only question is, in what condition is the main character of the Champions League now?.

As always, Americans are determined to fight in any tournament. And the national team of Mexico, and the Chile team can easily present unpleasant surprises to European grandees. But the last control duels between Australia and Cameroon against Brazil and Colombia showed that it is not worthwhile to pin their hopes on them.

With the most modest ambitions go to the tournament New Zealanders. According to their head coach Anthony Hudson, for the strongest team in Oceania, even one victory will be regarded as a huge success.

Prize Naturally, in modern football, you can not avoid paying attention to the prize money that tournament participants can earn. Teams that stop fighting in the group stage of the Confederations Cup will receive $ 2 million each. The national team, finishing in fourth place, will get 3 million.

The bronze medalist will be richer by 3.5 million, the loser in the finals will earn one million more, and the winner of the tournament along with gold medals and trophy will receive $ 5 million.

Host country The Confederations Cup matches will be hosted by four cities in the forthcoming World Cup 2018: Moscow (Opening Arena, 45,360 seats), St. Petersburg (Krestovsky, 68,134 seats), Kazan (Kazan Arena, 45,379 seats) and Sochi (First Olympic, 47 659 seats).