It is finally here -- today is the start of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil! There are a lot of fans here who get excited for the World Cup every four years, so we will host a series of open threads for it over the next couple of weeks. The first open thread will be for the opening match of Brazil vs. Croatia, but you can also discuss the group stages in general, including the United States' Group G of Death. For a good preview of the World Cup, click the banner above.
The full schedule for the group stages are below. Who do you think will make the final four of the tournament this year? Who will win it? And, will the United States be able to make it out of the group stage?
2014 World Cup Group Stage TV Schedule
Thursday, June 12
3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Brazil vs. Croatia Group A in Sao Paulo
Friday, June 13
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m PT on ESPN2: Mexico vs. Cameroon (Group A) in Natal
2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Spain vs. Netherlands (Group B) in Salvador
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2: Chile vs. Australia (Group B) in Cuiaba
Saturday, June 14
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ABC: Colombia vs. Greece (Group C) in Belo Horizonte
2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ABC: Uruguay vs. Costa Rica (Group D) in Fortaleza
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: England vs. Italy (Group D) in Manaus
8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Ivory Coast vs. Japan (in Group C) in Recife
Sunday, June 15
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ABC: Switzerland vs. Ecuador (Group E) in Brasilia
2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ABC: France vs. Honduras (Group E) in Porto Alegre
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group F) in Rio de Janeiro
Monday, June 16
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Germany vs. Portugal (Group G) in Salvador
2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Iran vs. Nigeria (Group F) in Curitiba
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Ghana vs. United States (Group G) in Natal
Tuesday, June 17
11:30 a.m. ET/ 8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Belgium vs. Algeria (Group H) in Belo Horizonte
2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Brazil vs. Mexico (Group A) in Fortaleza
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Russia vs. South Korea (Group H) in Cuiaba
Wednesday, June 18
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Australia vs. Netherlands (Group B) in Porto Alegre
2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Spain vs. Chile (Group B) in Rio de Janeiro
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Cameroon vs. Croatia (Group A) in Manaus
Thursday, June 19
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Colombia vs. Ivory Coast (Group C) in Brasilia
2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Uruguay vs. England (Group D) in Sao Paulo
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Japan vs. Greece (Group C) in Natal
Friday, June 20
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Italy vs. Costa Rica (Group D) in Recife
2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Switzerland vs. France (Group E) in Salvador
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Honduras vs. Ecuador (Group E) in Curitiba
Saturday, June 21
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Argentina vs. Iran (Group F) in Belo Horizonte
2:30 p.m. ET/ 11:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Germany vs. Ghana (Group G) in Fortaleza
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Nigeria vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group F) in Cuiaba
Sunday, June 22
11:30 a.m. ET/ 8:30 a.m. PT on ABC: Belgium vs. Russia (Group H) in Rio de Janeiro
2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT on ABC: South Korea vs. Algeria (Group H) in Porto Alegre
5:30 p.m. ET/ 2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: United States vs. Portugal (Group G) in Manaus
Monday, June 23
11:30 a.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Netherlands vs. Chile (Group B) in Sao Paulo
11:30 a.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2: Australia vs. Spain (Group B) in Curitiba
3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Croatia vs. Mexico (Group A) in Recife
3:30 p.m. ET/ 12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2: Cameroon vs. Brazil (Group A) in Brasilia
Tuesday, June 24
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Italy vs. Uruguay (Group D) in Natal
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN2: Costa Rica vs. England (Group D) in Belo Horizonte
3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Japan vs. Colombia (Group C) in Cuiaba
3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2: Greece vs. Ivory Coast (Group C) in Fortaleza
Wednesday, June 24
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: Nigeria vs. Argentina (Group F) in Porto Alegre
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN2: Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Iran (Group F) in Salvador
3:30 p.m. ET/ 12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: Ecuador vs. France (Group E) in Rio de Janeiro
3:30 p.m. ET/ 12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2: Honduras vs. Switzerland (Group E) in Manaus
Thursday, June 25
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN: United States vs. Germany (Group G) in Recife
11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on ESPN2: Portugal vs. Ghana (Group G) in Brasilia
3:30 p.m. ET/ 12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN: South Korea vs. Belgium (Group H) in Sao Paulo
3:30 p.m. ET/ 12:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2: Algeria vs. Russia (Group H) in Curitiba