It only comes around once every four years,... but for hundreds of millions of football fans around the world--- the time is almost here.
The World Cup start tonight with the host nation, Russia, taking on Saudi Arabia in Moscow.
Let's get the latest from our Won Jung-hwan as World Cup frenzy once again hits fever pitch.
Russia has spent more than eight years getting ready for the 2018 World Cup,… and finally the curtain will be raised on Thursday at 5:30PM, local time, at Moscow's famous Luzhniki Stadium.
Russia's largest sporting arena was built in the 1950s,… and has since hosted many international sporting events, including the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
In 2013 the original stadium underwent renovations for the World Cup.
Three-thousand more seats were added,... bringing the total capacity to 81-thousand.
While the country has done a tremendous job to prepare for the World Cup in terms of facilities,… one of the main concerns is the expected influx of tens of thousands of international football fans to some of the host nation's regional cities, which will have never seen so many foreign tourists before.
But Russians are optimistic their nation can pull off a successful World Cup and send fans home happy with memories that will last a lifetime.
"The people, people are sometimes can look sad,… like this face, but in the soul, they are really friendly."
"It is an amazing place to be now, because there are super energy around, everywhere,… people are very hospitable, they love events, they are making great events, they like to have fun."
The opening ceremony for the 2018 World Cup will have a slightly different format compared to previous editions of the tournament.
This time, the ceremony will focus on musical acts and take place much closer to kick-off,… just half-an-hour before the start of the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia.
British music icon Robbie Williams and celebrated Russian soprano Aida Garifullina ( ) will entertain the crowd in the stadium and the hundreds of millions of people watching around the world.
After the pre-match entertainment, the trophy the teams are all battling for... will be brought in by Brazil's two-time World Cup champion Ronaldo.
"When the curtain is raised,… 32 teams will compete over the next month for a place in the final at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on July 15th.
Won Jung-hwan, Arirang News. Moscow."
