KATHMANDU, June 16 Some of football's biggest stars will be in action in Wednesday's FIFA World Cup matches. France will face Senegal for the first time in 24 years. Fans will have high expectations from French star Kylian Mbappé, who scored a hat trick in the 2022 World Cup final.
Defending world champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will take on Algeria. Algeria may not be among the strongest teams in the tournament, but Messi's presence alone is enough to excite spectators.
All eyes will be on Houston, where Portugal, captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, will look to begin their World Cup campaign with a victory over DR Congo.
The France vs Senegal match will kick off at 12:45 am (New York time, New Jersey venue). Iraq and Norway will play at Boston Stadium from 3:45 am. Argentina will face Algeria at Kansas City Stadium from 6:30 am.
Austria and Jordan will meet at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium at 9:30 am, while Portugal and DR Congo will play in Houston at 10:45 pm.
FIFA World Cup 2018: Poland v Senegal (Preview)
France looking to avenge 2002 defeat
This will be the second World Cup meeting between France and Senegal in Group I. The two sides last met at the 2002 World Cup, when debutants Senegal stunned defending champions France with a 1-0 victory.
France hope to begin their campaign with a win, inspired by star forward Kylian Mbappé, while Senegal will rely on experienced striker Sadio Mané.
Norway's hopes rest on Haaland
Group I rivals Iraq and Norway will meet for the first time in an international match. Norway, returning to the World Cup after a long absence since 1998, are considered strong contenders largely because of star striker Erling Haaland.
Meanwhile, Iraq qualified for the World Cup through the playoffs and will be hoping to pull off an upset.
Argentina eye successful title defence
Defending champions Argentina will face Algeria in Group J. Led by Lionel Messi, Argentina will aim to start their title defence with a victory.
Algeria will attempt to produce a surprise result with the help of star striker Mohamed Amoura. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams in World Cup history.
Jordan make debut
Austria and Jordan will clash in Group J. Playing in their first-ever World Cup match, Jordan will face the challenge of taking on one of Europe's strongest sides.
Austria will look for strong performances from Marcel Sabitzer and Marko Arnautović, while Jordan will hope for an impressive display from star player Mousa Al Tamari.
Ronaldo to lead Portugal
Portugal will take on DR Congo in Group K. The side, led by 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, will be aiming to begin the tournament with a win.
Portugal boast a star-studded squad featuring Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Vitinha, while DR Congo will be hoping to spring a surprise.
