The beautiful game has been unleashed on its biggest stage. We've waited four years, and the World Cup is finally kicking off, with the entire world tuning into the excitement in Brazil.
And though you might not be able to watch all of the action, you'll certainly be able to stay up-to-date with the happenings on this slideshow. On the following slides, you'll find the full schedule, results and viewing information, an updated table as the tournament moves forward and team bios for every country in each group.
It's all the information you'll need in one place. Before we jump into that, let's review the general schedule for this year's World Cup.
Group Stage: June 12-26
Round of 16: June 28-July 1
Quarterfinals: July 4-5
Semifinals: July 8-9
Third-Place Game: July 12
Final: July 13
Note: All games on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC and streaming live at WatchESPN.
Group A
Table
| Team | Win | Loss | Draw | GD | Points |
| Brazil | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Mexico | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Croatia | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Cameroon | 0 | 3 | 0 | -8 | 0 |
Schedule
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Watch | Stream | Result |
| Brazil vs. Croatia | Thursday, June 12 | 4 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | BRA win, 3-1 |
| Mexico vs. Cameroon | Friday, June 13 | 12 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | MEX win, 1-0 |
| Brazil vs. Mexico | Tuesday, June 17 | 3 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | Draw, 0-0 |
| Cameroon vs. Croatia | Wednesday, June 18 | 6 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | CRO win, 4-0 |
| Croatia vs. Mexico | Monday, June 23 | 4 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | MEX win, 3-1 |
| Brazil vs. Cameroon | Monday, June 23 | 4 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | BRA win, 4-1 |
Brazil Key Facts
Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari
Players to Watch: Neymar, Thiago Silva, Oscar
Previous World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Current FIFA Ranking: 3
Record (Last 10 Matches): 9W-1L-0D
Cameroon Key Facts
Manager: Volker Finke
Players to Watch: Samuel Eto'o, Alex Song, Stephane Mbia
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals (1990)
Current FIFA Ranking: 56
Record (Last 10 Matches): 4W-3L-3D
Croatia Key Facts
Manager: Niko Kovac
Players to Watch: Luka Modric, Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Rakitic
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2006)
Best World Cup Finish: Third Place (1998)
Current FIFA Ranking: 18
Record (Last 10 Matches): 5W-2L-3D
Mexico Key Facts
Manager: Miguel Herrera
Players to Watch: Javier Hernandez, Giovani dos Santos, Andres Guardado
Previous World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals (1970, 1986)
Current FIFA Ranking: 20
Record (Last 10 Matches): 5W-3L-2D
Group B
Table
| Team | Win | Loss | Draw | GD | Points |
| Netherlands | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 |
| Chile | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Spain | 1 | 2 | 0 | -1 | 3 |
| Australia | 0 | 3 | 0 | -9 | 0 |
Schedule
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Watch | Stream | Result |
| Spain vs. Netherlands | Friday, June 13 | 3 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | NED win, 5-1 |
| Chile vs. Australia | Friday, June 13 | 6 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | CHI win, 3-1 |
| Australia vs. Netherlands | Wednesday, June 18 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | NED win, 3-2 |
| Spain vs. Chile | Wednesday, June 18 | 3 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | CHI win, 2-0 |
| Australia vs. Spain | Monday, June 23 | 12 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | ESP win, 3-0 |
| Chile vs. Netherlands | Monday, June 23 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | NED win, 2-0 |
Australia Key Facts
Manager: Ange Postecoglou
Players to Watch: Tim Cahill, Mile Jedinak, Mathew Ryan
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2006)
Current FIFA Ranking: 62
Record (Last 10 Matches): 2W-6L-2D
Chile Key Facts
Manager: Jorge Sampaoli
Players to Watch: Arturo Vidal, Alexis Sanchez, Eduardo Vargas
Previous World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Third Place (1962)
Current FIFA Ranking: 14
Record (Last 10 Matches): 6W-2L-2D
Netherlands Key Facts
Manager: Louis van Gaal
Players to Watch: Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder
Previous World Cup Finish: Runner-Up (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Runner-Up (1974, 1978, 2010)
Current FIFA Ranking: 15
Record (Last 10 Matches): 5W-1L-4D
Spain Key Facts
Manager: Vicente del Bosque
Players to Watch: Andres Iniesta, Diego Costa, Xavi
Previous World Cup Finish: Champions (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Champions (2010)
Current FIFA Ranking: 1
Record (Last 10 Matches): 7W-2L-1D
Group C
Table
| Team | Win | Loss | Draw | GD | Points |
| Colombia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 |
| Greece | 1 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 4 |
| Ivory Coast | 1 | 2 | 0 | -1 | 3 |
| Japan | 0 | 2 | 1 | -4 | 1 |
Schedule
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Watch | Stream | Result |
| Colombia vs. Greece | Saturday, June 14 | 12 p.m. | ABC | WatchESPN | COL win, 3-0 |
| Ivory Coast vs. Japan | Saturday, June 14 | 9 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | CIV win, 2-1 |
| Colombia vs. Ivory Coast | Thursday, June 19 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | COL win, 2-1 |
| Greece vs. Japan | Thursday, June 19 | 6 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | Draw, 0-0 |
| Colombia vs. Japan | Tuesday, June 24 | 4 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | COL win, 4-1 |
| Ivory Coast vs. Greece | Tuesday, June 24 | 4 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | GRE win, 2-1 |
Colombia Key Facts
Manager: Jose Pekerman
Players to Watch: James Rodriguez, Jackson Martinez, Juan Cuadrado
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (1998)
Best World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (1990)
Current FIFA Ranking: 8
Record (Last 10 Matches): 6W-1L-3D
Greece Key Facts
Manager: Fernando Santos
Players to Watch: Giorgos Karagounis, Georgios Samaras, Konstantinos Mitroglou
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Group Stage (1994, 2010)
Current FIFA Ranking: 12
Record (Last 10 Matches): 6W-1L-3D
Ivory Coast Key Facts
Manager: Sabri Lamouchi
Players to Watch: Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure, Gervinho
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2006, 2010)
Current FIFA Ranking: 23
Record (Last 10 Matches): 4W-3L-3D
Japan Key Facts
Manager: Alberto Zaccheroni
Players to Watch: Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa, Atsuto Uchida
Previous World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2002, 2010)
Current FIFA Ranking: 46
Record (Last 10 Matches): 7W-2L-1D
Group D
Table
| Team | Win | Loss | Draw | GD | Points |
| Costa Rica | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Uruguay | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Italy | 1 | 2 | 0 | -1 | 3 |
| England | 0 | 2 | 1 | -2 | 1 |
Schedule
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Watch | Stream | Result |
| Uruguay vs. Costa Rica | Saturday, June 14 | 3 p.m | ABC | WatchESPN | CRC win, 3-1 |
| Italy vs. England | Saturday, June 14 | 6 p.m | ESPN | WatchESPN | ITA win, 2-1 |
| Uruguay vs. England | Thursday, June 19 | 3 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | URU win, 2-1 |
| Italy vs. Costa Rica | Friday, June 20 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | CRC win, 1-0 |
| Italy vs. Uruguay | Tuesday, June 24 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | URU win, 1-0 |
| England vs. Costa Rica | Tuesday, June 24 | 12 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | Draw, 0-0 |
Costa Rica Key Facts
Manager: Jorge Luis Pinto
Players to Watch: Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell, Keylor Navas
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2006)
Best World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (1990)
Current FIFA Ranking: 28
Record (Last 10 Matches): 3W-5L-2D
England Key Facts
Manager: Roy Hodgson
Players to Watch: Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Steven Gerrard
Previous World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1966)
Current FIFA Ranking: 10
Record (Last 10 Matches): 5W-2L-3D
Italy Key Facts
Manager: Cesare Prandelli
Players to Watch: Mario Balotelli, Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)
Current FIFA Ranking: 9
Record (Last 10 Matches): 2W-2L-6D
Uruguay Key Facts
Manager: Oscar Washington Tabarez
Players to Watch: Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Diego Forlan
Previous World Cup Finish: Fourth Place (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1930, 1950)
Current FIFA Ranking: 7
Record (Last 10 Matches): 7W-1L-2D
Group E
Table
| Team | Win | Loss | Draw | GD | Points |
| France | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Switzerland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Ecuador | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Honduras | 0 | 3 | 0 | -7 | 0 |
Schedule
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Watch | Stream | Result |
| Switzerland vs. Ecuador | Sunday, June 15 | 12 p.m. | ABC | WatchESPN | SUI win, 2-1 |
| France vs. Honduras | Sunday, June 15 | 3 p.m. | ABC | WatchESPN | FRA win, 3-0 |
| Switzerland vs. France | Friday, June 20 | 3 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | FRA win, 5-2 |
| Ecuador vs. Honduras | Friday, June 20 | 6 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | ECU win, 2-1 |
| Honduras vs. Switzerland | Wednesday, June 25 | 4 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | SUI win, 3-0 |
| France vs. Ecuador | Wednesday, June 25 | 4 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | Draw, 0-0 |
Ecuador Key Facts
Manager: Reinaldo Rueda
Players to Watch: Antonio Valencia, Jefferson Montero, Christian Noboa
Previous World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2006)
Best World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2006)
Current FIFA Ranking: 26
Record (Last 10 Matches): 2W-3L-5D
France Key Facts
Manager: Didier Deschamps
Players to Watch: Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema, Blaise Matuidi
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1998)
Current FIFA Ranking: 17
Record (Last 10 Matches): 7W-1L-2D
Honduras Key Facts
Manager: Luis Fernando Suarez
Players to Watch: Wilson Palacios, Jerry Bengtson, Carlo Costly
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Group Stage (1982, 2010)
Current FIFA Ranking: 33
Record (Last 10 Matches): 3W-3L-4D
Switzerland Key Facts
Manager: Ottmar Hitzfeld
Players to Watch: Xherdan Shaqiri, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Gokhan Inler
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals (1934, 1938, 1954)
Current FIFA Ranking: 6
Record (Last 10 Matches): 7W-1L-2D
Group F
Table
| Team | Win | Loss | Draw | GD | Points |
| Argentina | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Nigeria | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Iran | 0 | 2 | 1 | -3 | 1 |
Schedule
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Watch | Stream | Result |
| Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina | Sunday, June 15 | 6 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | ARG win, 2-1 |
| Iran vs. Nigeria | Monday, June 16 | 3 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | Draw, 0-0 |
| Argentina vs. Iran | Saturday, June 21 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | ARG win, 1-0 |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Nigeria | Saturday, June 21 | 6 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | NGA win, 1-0 |
| Argentina vs. Nigeria | Wednesday, June 25 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | ARG win, 3-2 |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Iran | Wednesday, June 25 | 12 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | BIH win, 3-1 |
Argentina Key Facts
Manager: Alejandro Sabella
Players to Watch: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria
Previous World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1978, 1986)
Current FIFA Ranking: 5
Record (Last 10 Matches): 7W-1L-2D
Bosnia-Herzegovina Key Facts
Manager: Safet Susic
Players to Watch: Edin Dzeko, Miralem Pjanic, Asmir Begovic
Previous World Cup Finish: N/A
Best World Cup Finish: N/A
Current FIFA Ranking: 21
Record (Last 10 Matches): 6W-4L-0D
Iran Key Facts
Manager: Carlos Queiroz
Players to Watch: Javad Nekounam, Reza Ghoochannejhad, Ashkan Dejagah
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2006)
Best World Cup Finish: Group Stage (1978, 1998, 2006)
Current FIFA Ranking: 43
Record (Last 10 Matches): 6W-1L-3D
Nigeria Key Facts
Manager: Stephen Keshi
Players to Watch: John Obi Mikel, Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Moses
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (1994, 1998)
Current FIFA Ranking: 44
Record (Last 10 Matches): 4W-3L-3D
Group G
Table
| Team | Win | Loss | Draw | GD | Points |
| Germany | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| United States | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Portugal | 1 | 1 | 1 | -3 | 4 |
| Ghana | 0 | 2 | 1 | -2 | 1 |
Schedule
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Watch | Stream | Result |
| Germany vs. Portugal | Monday, June 16 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | GER win, 4-0 |
| United States vs. Ghana | Monday, June 16 | 6 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | USA win, 2-1 |
| Germany vs. Ghana | Saturday, June 21 | 3 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | Draw, 2-2 |
| United States vs. Portugal | Sunday, June 22 | 6 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | Draw, 2-2 |
| United States vs. Germany | Thursday, June 26 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | GER win, 1-0 |
| Portugal vs. Ghana | Thursday, June 26 | 12 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | POR win, 2-1 |
Germany Key Facts
Manager: Joachim Low
Players to Watch: Mesut Ozil, Thomas Mueller, Philipp Lahm
Previous World Cup Finish: Third Place (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1954, 1974, 1990)
Current FIFA Ranking: 2
Record (Last 10 Matches): 7W-0L-3D
Ghana Key Facts
Manager: Kwesi Appiah
Players to Watch: Kevin-Prince Boateng, Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan
Previous World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals (2010)
Current FIFA Ranking: 37
Record (Last 10 Matches): 5W-3L-2D
Portugal Key Facts
Manager: Paulo Bento
Players to Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Moutinho, Nani
Previous World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Third Place (1966)
Current FIFA Ranking: 4
Record (Last 10 Matches): 6W-1L-3D
United States Key Facts
Manager: Jurgen Klinsmann
Players to Watch: Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Fabian Johnson
Previous World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Third Place (1930)
Current FIFA Ranking: 13
Record (Last 10 Matches): 6W-2L-2D
Group H
Table
| Team | Win | Loss | Draw | GD | Points |
| Belgium | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Algeria | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Russia | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 2 |
| South Korea | 0 | 2 | 1 | -3 | 1 |
Schedule
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Watch | Stream | Result |
| Belgium vs. Algeria | Tuesday, June 17 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | BEL win, 2-1 |
| Russia vs. South Korea | Tuesday, June 17 | 6 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | Draw, 1-1 |
| Belgium vs. Russia | Sunday, June 22 | 12 p.m. | ABC | WatchESPN | BEL win, 1-0 |
| Algeria vs. South Korea | Sunday, June 22 | 3 p.m. | ABC | WatchESPN | ALG win, 4-2 |
| Belgium vs. South Korea | Thursday, June 26 | 4 p.m. | ESPN | WatchESPN | BEL win, 1-0 |
| Russia vs. Algeria | Thursday, June 26 | 4 p.m. | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | Draw, 1-1 |
Algeria Key Facts
Manager: Vahid Halilhodzic
Players to Watch: Islam Slimani, Madjid Bougherra, Sofiane Feghouli
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Group Stage (1982, 1986, 2010)
Current FIFA Ranking: 22
Record (Last 10 Matches): 8W-1L-1D
Belgium Key Facts
Manager: Marc Wilmots
Players to Watch: Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku
Previous World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2002)
Best World Cup Finish: Fourth Place (1986)
Current FIFA Ranking: 11
Record (Last 10 Matches): 5W-2L-3D
Russia Key Facts
Manager: Fabio Capello
Players to Watch: Aleksandr Kokorin, Roman Shirokov, Aleksandr Samedov
Previous World Cup Finish: Group Stage (2002)
Best World Cup Finish: Fourth Place (1966)
Current FIFA Ranking: 19
Record (Last 10 Matches): 7W-0L-3D
South Korea Key Facts
Manager: Hong Myung-bo
Players to Watch: Ki Sung-yueng, Park Chu-young, Son Heung-min
Previous World Cup Finish: Round of 16 (2010)
Best World Cup Finish: Fourth Place (2002)
Current FIFA Ranking: 57
Record (Last 10 Matches): 4W-6L-0D
Bracket
After the group stage, the tournament moves to a single-elimination tournament, with the top team from each group matching up against a second-place finisher from the group stage in the round of 16, as seen above.
Should any of these games finish in regulation in a draw, the match will go to extra time, which consists of two 15-minute halves. The entire 30 minutes will be played, even if a team should score a goal.
If the game is still tied, even after that, the match will turn to penalties. Each team will be given five shooters, and whichever team has the advantage after those five shooters wins. If the shootout is even, additional shooters will be called upon on a round-by-round basis until an advantage is established for one of the teams.
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