The 2014 World Cup will be broadcast live in the United States, with all 64 matches airing on either ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC. Yesterday, the tournament started with Brazil beating Croatia 3-1 in a game that immediately opened the officiating to crticism. The world champion will be crowned on July 13 in Rio de Janeiro.
Every game can be streamed online on either WatchESPN or WatchABC.
Starting today, games will be played at 11:30am, 2:30pm, and 5:30pm Eastern Time (all times from here on will be Eastern) every day until we reach the final set of group play matches. Then, in order to make sure no team receives an advantage of already knowing if they have qualified for the knockout stage, or if they are going home, the four teams from each group will play in two concurrent matches. Those days, there will be no 5:30pm games.
Brazil vs Croatia Controversy
Yesterday's opening match of course featured a call that immediately opened the tournament to controversy. Brazil's Fred blatantly took a dive inside the Croatian 18-yard box, and was awarded a penalty kick. At that point, Croatia was holding on to a 1-1 draw with just under 20 minutes remaining in the 90-minute contest. Neymar converted the penalty kick, his second goal of the game, to give Brazil a 2-1 lead in the 71st minute. Oscar then added a third goal late in the game, with Croatia, by then, looking defeated.
US Men's National Team Schedule
If you just want to know the Team USA schedule, we've pulled out their three matches right here. All three contests will be on ESPN, starting on June 16 when they face Ghana at 5:30pm in Natal. On June 22, they will face Portugal, again at 5:30pm, in Manaus' Amazonia Arena, inside the Amazon Rainforest. Their final group stage game, and possibly the determining factor in making out of the "Group of Death" will be against Germany on June 26 at 11:30am in Recife.
Group Standings
Group standings are based on a points scale, with three points awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Ties are broken by goal differential (which we will annotate in paranthesis next to the points each team has). If two teams have identical numbers of points and goal differential, then the number of goals scored becomes the third tie-break.
| Group A | Group B | Group C | |||||
| Brazil | 3 | Australia | --- | Columbia | --- | ||
| Cameron | --- | Chile | --- | Greece | --- | ||
| Mexico | --- | Netherlands | --- | Ivory Coast | --- | ||
| Croatia | 0 | Spain | --- | Japan | --- | ||
| Group D | Group E | Group F | |||||
| Costa Rica | --- | Ecuador | --- | Argentina | --- | ||
| England | --- | France | --- | Bosnia-Herzegovina | --- | ||
| Italy | --- | Honduras | --- | Iran | --- | ||
| Uruguay | --- | Switzerland | --- | Nigeria | --- | ||
| Group G | Group H | ||||||
| Germany | --- | Algeria | --- | ||||
| Ghana | --- | Belgium | --- | ||||
| Portugal | --- | Russia | --- | ||||
| United States | --- | South Korea | --- |
Group Stage Match Schedule and Announcers
Thursday, June 12
Brazil 3 - 1 Croatia
Friday, June 13
11:30 a.m. - Mexico vs. Cameroon, ESPN2. Announcers: Fernando Palomo, Alejandro Moreno
2:30 p.m. - Spain vs. Netherlands, ESPN. Announcers: Jon Champion, Stewart Robson
5:30 p.m. - Chile vs. Australia, ESPN2. Announcers: Daniel Mann, Kasey Keller
Saturday, June 14
11:30 a.m. - Colombia vs. Greece, ABC. Announcers: Adrian Healey, Taylor Twellman
2:30 p.m. - Uruguay vs. Costa Rica, ABC. Announcers: Champion, Robson
5:30 p.m. - England vs. Italy, ESPN. Announcers: Darke, McManaman
8:30 p.m. - Ivory Coast vs. Japan, ESPN. Announcers: Derek Rae, Efan Ekoku
Sunday, June 15
11:30 a.m. - Switzerland vs. Ecuador, ABC. Announcers: Healey, Moreno
2:30 p.m. - France vs. Honduras, ABC. Announcers: Mann, Keller
5:30 p.m. - Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, ESPN. Announcers: Rae, Roberto Martinez
Monday, June 16
11:30 a.m. - Germany vs. Portugal, ESPN. Announcers: Champion, Robson
2:30 p.m. - Iran vs. Nigeria, ESPN. Announcers: Rae, Ekoku
5:30 p.m. - Ghana vs. United States, ESPN. Announcers: Darke, Twellman
Tuesday, June 17
11:30 a.m. - Belgium vs. Algeria, ESPN. Announcers: Healey, Ekoku
2:30 p.m. - Brazil vs. Mexico, ESPN. Announcers: Palomo, Moreno
5:30 p.m. - Russia vs. South Korea, ESPN. Announcers: Mann, Keller
Wednesday, June 18
11:30 a.m. - Australia vs. Netherlands, ESPN. Announcers: Champion, Robson
2:30 p.m. - Spain vs. Chile, ESPN. Announcers: Darke, McManaman
5:30 p.m. - Cameroon vs. Croatia, ESPN. Announcers: Rae, Keller
Thursday, June 19
11:30 a.m. - Colombia vs. Ivory Coast, ESPN. Announcers: Healey, Moreno
2:30 p.m. - Uruguay vs. England, ESPN. Announcers: Darke, McManaman
5:30 p.m. - Japan vs. Greece, ESPN. Announcers: Mann, Ekoku
Friday, June 20
(Announcers from June 20 on still to be determined)
11:30 a.m. - Italy vs. Costa Rica, ESPN
2:30 p.m. - Switzerland vs. France, ESPN
5:30 p.m. - Honduras vs. Ecuador, ESPN
Saturday, June 21
11:30 a.m. - Argentina vs. Iran, ESPN
2:30 p.m. - Germany vs. Ghana, ESPN
5:30 p.m. - Nigeria vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, ESPN
Sunday, June 22
11:30 a.m. - Belgium vs. Russia, ABC
2:30 p.m. - South Korea vs. Algeria, ABC
5:30 p.m. - United States vs. Portugal, ESPN
Monday, June 23
11:30 a.m. - Netherlands vs. Chile, ESPN
11:30 a.m. - Australia vs. Spain, ESPN2
3:30 p.m. - Croatia vs. Mexico, ESPN
3:30 p.m. - Cameroon vs. Brazil, ESPN2
Tuesday, June 24
11:30 a.m. - Italy vs. Uruguay, ESPN
11:30 a.m. - Costa Rica vs. England, ESPN2
3:30 p.m. - Japan vs. Colombia, ESPN
3:30 p.m. - Greece vs. Ivory Coast, ESPN2
Wednesday, June 25
11:30 a.m. - Nigeria vs. Argentina, ESPN
11:30 a.m. - Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Iran, ESPN2
3:30 p.m. - Ecuador vs. France, ESPN
3:30 p.m. - Honduras vs. Switzerland, ESPN2
Thursday, June 26
11:30 a.m. - United States vs. Germany, ESPN
11:30 a.m. - Portugal vs. Ghana, ESPN2
3:30 p.m. - South Korea vs. Belgium, ESPN
3:30 p.m. - Algeria vs. Russia, ESPN2
Knockout Stage Match Schedule
Obviously, teams are still to be determined. To read this, the winner of Group A will be 1A and second place will be 2A. Group B winner is 1B, and so on.
Saturday, June 28
11:30 a.m. - Round of 16, 1A vs. 2B, ABC
3:30 p.m. - Round of 16, 1C vs. 2D, ABC
Sunday, June 29
11:30 a.m. - Round of 16, 1B vs. 2A, ESPN
3:30 p.m. - Round of 16, 1D vs. 2C, ESPN
Monday, June 30
11:30 a.m. - Round of 16, 1E vs. 2F, ESPN
3:30 p.m. - Round of 16, 1G vs. 2H, ESPN
Tuesday, July 1
11:30 a.m. - Round of 16, 1F vs. 2E, ESPN
3:30 p.m. - Round of 16, 1H vs. 2G, ESPN
Friday, July 4
11:30 a.m. - Quarterfinals, ESPN2
3:30 p.m. - Quarterfinals, ESPN
Saturday, July 5
11:30 a.m. - Quarterfinals, ESPN2
3:30 p.m. - Quarterfinals, ESPN
Tuesday, July 8
3:30 p.m. - Semifinals, ESPN
Wednesday, July 9
3:30 p.m. - Semifinals, ESPN
Saturday, July 12
3:30 p.m. - Third-place match, ESPN
Sunday, July 13
2:30 p.m. - Final, ABC