If you haven't heard, the World Cup is finally here! Well, almost here. Officially, the games kick off on June 12 but football (yes, the REAL football) fans have been delighted with lots of international friendlies. The friendlies feature teams in and out of the World Cup. For instance, the United States vs. Azerbaijan. USA in, Azerbaijan out. The friendlies have been a good preview of certain teams as the players you see are likely the ones you'll see in the games. To get you ready for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, here are some basics:
2014 location: Brasil
How many teams participate: 32
How are they split: Into groups of 4 for a total of 8 groups
When do the games begin: June 12, 2014
When is the championship: July 13, 2014
Which countries are in each group: see below
Official Groups:
Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon
Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia
Group C: Colombia, Greece, Côte D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Japan
Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA
Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic (South Korea)
How do teams advance?
During the group stage, each team plays each other for a total of 4 games and a maximum of 12 points. A win= 3 points, a draw (tie)= 1 point, and a loss=0 points. The 2 teams with the most points will advance to the knock out stage, which decreases the pool to 16 teams. If teams have the same amount of points, goal difference will be taken into account. During the group stage, it is possible for both teams to have a scoreless draw (a 0-0 scoreline).
During the second stage (also known as the knockout stage), the 16 teams go head to head. For example, the top team in Group A (1A) will play the second team in Group B (2B) and so forth. Check out FIFA's website to see the pairings: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/index.html . Obviously, the teams are TBD :-)
Where can I watch the games: In the USA, you can watch on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2. You can also go to your local bar for some spirited banter, especially if there are other footy fans around!
What's your prediction?
Well...I'm only doing this for the group stage and there are ALWAYS surprise wins and disappointing play and suspense. However, you've gotta make predictions, so here are mine:
Group A: Brazil, Cameroon
- potential surprise team: Croatia over Cameroon (Cameroon has always been off-on in their World Cup appearances but I think they will advance, though Croatia has been looking strong)
Group B: Spain, Netherlands
-potential surprise team: Chile over Netherlands
Group C: Colombia, Japan
-potential surprise team: Cote D'Ivoire over Colombia (this is a toss up, both teams are loaded with talented superstars but Colombia is missing their biggest (and one of my favorites)--Radamel Falcao)
Group D: England, Italy
-potential surprise team: Uruguay (Uruguay did make it to the quarterfinals in 2010)
Group E: France, Ecuador
-potential surprise team: Honduras over Ecuador (these teams are fairly similar, though I give the advantage to Ecuador)
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- potential surprise: I don't think there will be any. I haven't seen Iran play yet, to be honest, but Nigeria did not impress in their friendly match against Greece yesterday (June 3, 2014). Nigeria's 2010 showing was not good and while that's been 4 years ago, I have seen Bosnia play and they look good. Argentina are the definite favorites and I don't see the second place team from this group advancing far.
Group G: Germany, Portugal
-potential surprise: It's a toss up between Portugal and Ghana, I think. Portugual's biggest asset is they have one of the top 5 footballers in the world right now in Cristiano Ronaldo. This group has been dubbed the Group of Death and this is a tough table. Germany is heavily favored and Portugal likely is too. I'd love to see Ghana advance and while national pride has me rooting for USA, their squad just doesn't look on par with a squad like Germany for instance.
Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic (South Korea)
-potential surprise: None. I see Belgium sailing through along with Algeria.
If you want to learn more about the World Cup, check out FIFA's official website: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/
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