All 32 participating teams are geared up and are already in tournament fever. We present the planet's most expensive footballers, the youngest squad and the World Cup veterans.
The most valuable national teams and the most expensive players
If a prize was offered according to this criterion, England would easily take the top spot on the podium of the most valuable World Cup teams.
According to market shares on transfermarkt.com, Gareth Southgate's side have a monopoly of pricey players, with English footballers worth a total of €1.26 billion. The most expensive English player is Phil Foden. The Manchester City attacking midfielder is valued at around €110 million.
After the English, Brazil ranks second when it comes to players' market value. Tite's squad is worth a total of €1.14 billion. Undoubtedly the most "expensive" Brazilian at the moment is Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr,, who is valued at around €120 million.
France also comes last and completes this "top 3" of the rich. Didier Deschamps' squad is worth €1.08 billion. But the French boast the most expensive World Cup player: Kylian Mbappé.
The striker is valued at €160 million and is also the most expensive footballer in the world today. At this tournament, Mbappe must prove to everyone that he can raise his stock even higher if France are to emerge triumphant.
Apart from the 'financial top 3', Germany, Spain and Uruguay also have a player worth no less than €100 million.
We're talking about Germany's Jamal Musiala (19), Spain's Pedri (19) and Uruguay's Federico Valverde (24).
Qatar at the opposite end
While England, France and Brazil are all going to the World Cup with squads worth more than €1bn, at the other end of the scale, host nation Qatar have a squad estimated at just €14.9m.
The hosts' most valuable player is Akram Afif. The 25-year-old striker, who plays for Al-Sadd, a club in Qatar's top league, is currently worth €4m.
At the bottom of the table are Costa Rica (€18.75m), Saudi Arabia (€25.4m) and Australia (€38.4m).
Ghana has the youngest squad
Ghana are the African country with a record already, even though the tournament in Qatar has not yet started.
The Ghanaians are fielding the youngest players at the World Cup, with an average age of under 25 - 24.7 years to be precise.
But it's not the first time that the Africans have taken young players to a tournament. The tactic has been applied at the previous three World Cups that Ghana have attended.
At the 2006 World Cup, the Ghanaians fielded a squad with an average age of 23. In 2010, they recorded an average age of 24 and in 2014 24.9.
After Ghana, Spain (25.6), the USA (25.2) and Ecuador (25.6) are also entering the World Cup with young players.
Iran banking on experienced players
Things are completely different when it comes to the selection of Iranian players. The average age of the Iranian national team is 28.9 years. Iran's Portuguese coach, Carlos Queiroz, is the only coach who has relied exclusively on more mature players. Queiroz is also the only coach to call up 25 players to Qatar, although the maximum number allowed is 26.
In the age rankings, after Iran, Mexico (28.5 years old), Argentina, Brazil (both 27.9 years old) and Tunisia, Uruguay, Belgium and Japan (all four - 27.8 years old) also go to experienced players in Qatar.
