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England were handed a favourable draw for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after being chosen to face Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in Group G.
After avoiding Argentina, Brazil and Germany, England were the penultimate team picked from Pot 2 by Diego Maradona in the draw ceremony in the Kremlin's State Palace.
Gareth Southgate's side will face Tunisia in their opening game in Volgograd on June 18th, a repeat of their first game in the 1998 World Cup in France, when goals from Alan Shearer and Paul Scholes gave England a 2-0 win in Marseille.
They will then travel to Nizhny Novgorod on June 24th to take on Panama, with their final group fixture against Belgium on June 28th in Kaliningrad.
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England have never lost to Belgium at a major tournament and have only lost one of their 21 matches against them.
Former England captain Shearer told the BBC: “I don’t want to say it’s a good group or a bad group because I’ve heard it so many times over the years.
“We’ve got six days of rest after our first game, which if they are worried about travel, that shouldn’t be an issue.”
Elsewhere in the draw, hosts Russia were placed in Group A alongside Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay, with neighbours Portugal and Spain in Group B with Morocco and Iran.
France, Australia, Peru and Denmark make up Group C, with Group D perhaps the closest to a so-called ‘Group of Death’ as it contains Argentina, Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria.
Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia were drawn in Group E, with defending champions Germany in Group F with Mexico, Sweden and Korea.
Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan make up Group H.
Shearer believes Southgate will be “quietly pleased” with England’s group, despite the firepower Belgium have at their disposal.
“Eden Hazard, (Romelu) Lukaku, (Kevin) De Bruyne, who are all having excellent seasons — that will be a very, very tough game,” Shearer added.
“They have got some top quality players in that team. We’ve been saying it for a while now that they should go a distance in the tournament because of the number of players they have at their disposal.”
World Cup group stage draw
Group A: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay.
Group B: Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Iran.
Group C: France, Australia, Peru, Denmark.
Group D: Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria.
Group E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica ,Serbia.
Group F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea.
Group G: Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England.
Group H: Poland, Senegal, Colombia, Japan.
World Cup 2018 match schedule (all times Irish)
Thursday 14 June
Russia vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) - 4pm, Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow)
Friday 15 June
Egypt vs Uruguay (Group A) - 1pm, Ekaterinburg Arena
Morocco vs Iran (Group B) - 4pm, Saint Petersburg Stadium
Portugal vs Spain (Group B) - 7pm, Fisht Stadium (Sochi)
Saturday 16 June
France vs Australia (Group C) - 11am, Kazan Arena
Argentina vs Iceland (Group D) - 2pm, Spartak Stadium (Moscow)
Peru vs Denmark (Group C) - 5pm, Mordovia Arena (Saransk)
Croatia vs Nigeria (Group D) - 8pm, Kaliningrad Stadium
Sunday 17 June
Costa Rica vs Serbia (Group E) - 1pm, Samara Arena
Germany vs Mexico (Group F) - 4pm, Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow)
Brazil vs Switzerland (Group E) - 7pm, Rostov Arena
Monday 18 June
Sweden vs South Korea (Group F) - 1pm, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Belgium vs Panama (Group G) - 4pm, Fisht Stadium (Sochi)
Tunisia vs England (Group G) - 7pm, Volgograd Arena
Tuesday 19 June
Colombia vs Japan (Group H) - 1pm, Mordovia Arena (Saransk)
Poland vs Senegal (Group H) - 4pm, Spartak Stadium (Moscow)
Russia vs Egypt (Group A) - 7pm, Saint Petersburg Stadium
Wednesday 20 June
Portugal vs Morocco (Group B) - 1pm, Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow)
Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia (Group A) - 4pm, Rostov Arena
Iran vs Spain (Group B) - 7pm, Kazan Arena
Thursday 21 June
Denmark vs Australia (Group C) - 1pm, Samara Arena
France vs Peru (Group C) - 4pm, Ekateringburg Arena
Argentina vs Croatia (Group D) - 7pm, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Friday 22 June
Brazil vs Costa Rica (Group E) - 1pm, Saint Petersburg Stadium
Nigeria vs Iceland (Group D) - 4pm, Volgograd Arena
Serbia vs Switzerland (Group E) - 7pm, Kaliningrad Stadium
Saturday 23 June
Belgium vs Tunisia (Group G) - 1pm Spartak Stadium (Moscow)
South Korea vs Mexico (Group F) - 4pm, Rostov Arena
Germany vs Sweden (Group F) - 7pm Fisht Stadium (Sochi)
Sunday 24 June
England vs Panama (Group G) - 1pm, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Japan vs Senegal (Group H) - 4pm, Ekateringburg Arena
Poland vs Colombia (Group H) - 7pm, Kazan Arena
Monday 25 June
Uruguay vs Russia (Group A) - 3pm, Samara Arena
Saudi Arabia vs Egypt (Group A) - 3pm, Volgograd Arena
Spain vs Morocco (Group B) - 7pm, Kaliningrad Stadium
Iran vs Portugal (Group B) - 7pm, Mordovia Arena (Saransk)
Tuesday 26 June
Australia vs Peru (Group C) - 3pm, Fisht Stadium (Sochi)
Denmark vs France (Group C) - 3pm, Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow)
Iceland vs Croatia (Group D) - 7pm, Rostov Arena
Nigeria vs Argentina (Group D) - 7pm, Saint Petersburg Stadium
Wednesday 27 June
Mexico vs Sweden (Group F) - 3pm, Ekateringburg Arena
South Korea vs Germany (Group F) - 3pm, Kazan Arena
Switzerland vs Costa Rica (Group E) - 7pm, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Serbia vs Brazil (Group E) - 7pm, Spartak Stadium (Moscow)
Thursday 28 June
Senegal vs Colombia (Group H) - 3pm, Samara Arena
Japan vs Poland (Group H) - 3pm, Volgograd Arena
Panama vs Tunisia (Group G) - 7pm, Mordovia Arena (Saransk)
England vs Belgium (Group G) - 7pm, Kaliningrad Stadium
Saturday 30 June
Winner Group C vs Runner-up Group D (Last 16 Match 1) - 3pm, Kazan Arena
Winner Group A vs Runner-up Group B (Last 16 Match 2) - 7pm, Fisht Stadium (Sochi)
Sunday 1 July
Winner Group B vs Runner-up Group A (Last 16 Match 3) - 3pm, Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow)
Winner Group D vs Runner-up Group C (Last 16 Match 4) - 7pm, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Monday 2 July
Winner Group E vs Runner-up Group F (Last 16 Match 5) - 3pm, Samara Arena
Winner Group G vs Runner-up Group H (Last 16 Match 6) - 7pm, Rostov Arena
Tuesday 3 July
Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group E (Last 16 Match 7) - 3pm, Saint Petersburg Stadium
Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group G (Last 16 Match 8) - 7pm, Spartak Stadium (Moscow)
Friday 6 July
Winner Match 1 vs Winner Match 2 (QF 1) - 3pm, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Winner Match 5 vs Winner Match 6 (QF 2) - 7pm, Kazan Arena
Saturday 7 July
Winner Match 3 vs Winner Match 4 (QF 3) - 3pm, Samara Arena
Winner Match 7 vs Winner Match 8 (QF 4) - 7pm Fisht Stadium, Sochi
Tuesday 10 July
Winner QF 1 vs Winner QF 2 (Semi-final) - 7pm, Saint Petersburg Stadium
Wednesday 11 July
Winner QF 3 vs Winner QF 4 (Semi-final) - 7pm, Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow)
Saturday 14 July
Third/fourth play-off - 3pm, Saint Petersburg Stadium
Sunday 15 July
World Cup Final - 4pm, Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow)
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