Follow the #WorldCup on Twitter

With under 10 days to go until the 2018 @FIFAWorldCup in Russia, the countdown has begun, and the conversation continues to heat up. Once the competition begins, the only real-time #WorldCup global viewing party will be on Twitter, where you can track all 64 matches, experience every goal and love every second, both on and off the pitch.

This how-to-follow guide offers soccer (or football or fútbol) fans everything needed to get closer to the #WorldCup action as it unfolds on Twitter.

Official World Cup accounts and hashtags
Fans should follow @FIFAWorldCup, the official Twitter account for updates provided by the Official Site of the FIFA World Cup. Here you will find match coverage, behind-the-scenes video and photos from Russia, and access to players throughout the #WorldCup. Fans around the globe can also stay close to the news and information from FIFA in  variety of other languages by  following  @fifaworldcup_es, @fifaworldcup_de, @fifaworldcup_fr, @fifaworldcup_ar and @fifaworldcup_pt on Twitter.

And to keep tabs on all of the conversation, fans can search for and Tweet with the official @FIFAWorldCup hashtags available in seven languages:

If it’s a specific match you are looking for, FIFA has put together this handy list of hashtags for the first three days of the Group Stage:

FIFA has made it easier for fans who want to follow the experts on the ground in Russia. Check out this list of Team Reporters who will have the very best access to the 32 #WorldCup squads in Russia!

Follow your country on Twitter
Over the past month, #WorldCup conversation is heating up. According to @TwitterData, these are the most Tweeted about teams around the globe heading into this summer’s event.

1. Argentina (@Argentina)
2. Japan (@JFA; @jfa_en)
3. France (@equipedefrance; @FrenchTeam)
4. England (@England)
5. Spain (@SeFutbol)
6. Germany (@DFB_Team_EN; @DFB_Team)
7. Brazil (@CBF_Futebol)
8. Mexico (@miseleccionmx; @miseleccionmxEN)
9. Peru (@SeleccionPeru)
10. United States (@ussoccer)

As you can see, despite the United States not qualifying for the tournament, excitement for this summer's event has not waned as Team USA is still among the most discussed on Twitter.

Whether you’re one of the many supporters of the top squads or your country pride resides somewhere else, Twitter makes it easy to find and follow all of the official World Cup team accounts.

Bookmark this Twitter list from @FIFAWorldCup for quick access to all of the World Cup participants.

World Cup players
Over 300 players making the trip to Russia, across all 32 nations, are on Twitter. Here are the official squads for Russia 2018:

And this list from @FIFAWorldCup is a handy guide to find the Twitter accounts of the players and coaches participating in this summer’s tournament.

Here is a look at the most followed players on Twitter in the #WorldCup:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano)
2. Neymar (@neymarjr)
3. Andrés Iniesta (@andresiniesta8)
4. Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088)
5. Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique)
6. James Rodríguez (@jamesdrodriguez)
7. Radamel Falcao (@FALCAO)
8. Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos)
9. Luis Suarez (@LuisSuarez9)
10. Sergio Agüero (@aguerosergiokun)

The final squads are now chosen, but you must wait until the opening group match to see who starts for your team. If fans on Twitter were picking a lineup, the 11 players below would be a good place to start. This Twitter XI squad below is made up of the players who were mentioned the most (by position) on Twitter since the World Cup Draw, forming a team that would surely be the envy of any manager in Russia:

The World Cup will be here in no time!