World Cup: 88 years and 20 editions later...

Since its birth in 1930 to this year's tournament in Russia—starting today—we track the expansion of the world's greatest sporting spectacle: The FIFA World Cup.

Note: Russia 2018 is the first World Cup for...

• Gianni Infantino

  's FIFA
• Iceland and

  Panama

• VAR, or video assistant referees
• Star players like Egypt's Mohamed Salah, France's N'Golo Kante and England's Harry Kane and others

The month-long party kicks off in Moscow's

Luzhniki Stadium

at 2030 IST with hosts Russia taking on Saudi Arabia.