2014 FIFA World Cup Schedule

ESPN has released the television schedule for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The 64 match tournament will begin on Thursday, June 12 with the first game in Sao Paulo between the host country against Croatia. ESPN will broadcast 43 matches, while ESPN 2 will air 11. ABC will air 10 matches including the Championship Sunday, July 13 at 3 p.m. The game will be played at Estadio Do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. Each broadcast will begin with a 30 minute pregame show, the walking of the pitch of the games participants, the playing of the national anthem of each country and the post game ceremonial handshakes. The match will be followed by a 30 minute postgame show on ESPN.

Bob Ley will be the studio host for the tournament and will be joined by a collection of world class talent in Michael Ballack, Alexi Lalas, Steve McManaman, Santiago Solari, Gilberto Silva, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Taylor Twellman as analysts.  Ian Drake will take over lead play by play for the Tournament, including the Championship game.

The United States will be featured in three games in the Group Stage all on ESPN against Ghana (June 16), Portugal (June 22) and Germany (June 26).

Group Stage Matches
Thursday, June 12
Brazil v Croatia (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Sao Paulo

Friday, June 13
Mexico v Cameroon (ESPN2 Noon) at Natal
Spain v Netherlands (ESPN 3 p.m.) at Salvador
Chile v Australia (ESPN2 6 p.m.) at Cuiaba

Saturday, June 14
Colombia v Greece (ABC Noon) at Belo Horizonte
Uruguay v Costa Rica (ABC 3 p.m.) at Fortaleza
England v Italy (ESPN 6 p.m.) at Manaus
Ivory Coast v Japan (ESPN 9 p.m.) at Recife

Sunday, June 15
Switzerland v Ecuador (ABC Noon) at Brasilia
France v Honduras (ABC 3 p.m.) at Porto Alegre
Argentina v Bosnia (ESPN 6 p.m.) at Rio de Janeiro

Monday, June 16
Germany v Portugal (ESPN Noon) at Salvador
Iran v Nigeria (ESPN 3 p.m.) at Curitiba
Ghana v United States (ESPN 6 p.m.) at Natal

Tuesday, June 17
Belgium v Algeria (ESPN Noon) at Belo Horizonte
Brazil v Mexico (ESPN 3 p.m.) at Fortaleza
Russia v South Korea (ESPN 6 p.m.) at Cuiaba

Wednesday, June 18
Australia v Netherlands (ESPN Noon) at Porto Alegre
Spain v Chile (ESPN 3 p.m.) at Rio de Janeiro
Cameroon v Croatia (ESPN 6 p.m.) at Manaus

Thursday, June 19
Colombia v Ivory Coast (ESPN Noon) at Brasilia
Uruguay v England (ESPN 3 p.m.) at Sao Paulo
Japan v Greece (ESPN 6 p.m.) at Natal

Friday, June 20
Costa Rica v Italy (ESPN Noon) at Recife
Switzerland v France (ESPN 3 p.m.) at Salvador
Ecuador v Honduras (ESPN 6 p.m.) at Curitiba

Saturday, June 21
Argentina v Iran (ESPN Noon) at Belo Horizonte
Germany v Ghana (ESPN 3 p.m.) at Fortaleza
Bosnia v Nigeria (ESPN 6 p.m.) at Cuiaba

Sunday, June 22
Belarus v Russia (ABC Noon) at Rio de Janeiro
Algeria v Korea (ABC 3 p.m.) at Porto Alegre
Portugal v United States (ESPN 6 p.m.) at Manaus

Monday, June 23
Chile v Netherlands (ESPN Noon) at Sao Paulo
Spain v Australia (ESPN2 Noon) at Curitiba
Cameroon v Brazil (ESPN2 4 p.m.) at Recife
Mexico v Croatia (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Brasilia

Tuesday, June 24
Uruguay v Italy (ESPN Noon) at Natal
Costa Rica v England (ESPN2 Noon) at Belo Horizonte
Colombia v Japan (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Cuiaba
Ivory Coast v Greece (ESPN2 4 p.m.) at Fortaleza

Wednesday, June 25
Argentina v Nigeria (ESPN Noon) at Porto Alegre
Iran v Bosnia (ESPN2 1 p.m.) at Salvador
Switzerland v Honduras (ESPN2 4 p.m.) at Manaus
Ecuador v France (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Rio de Janeiro

Thursday, June 26
Germany v United States (ESPN Noon) at Recife
Ghana v Portugal (ESPN2 Noon) at Brasilia
Belgium v Korea (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Sao Paulo
Algeria v Russia (ESPN2 4 p.m.) at Porto Alegre

Round of Sixteen
Saturday, June 28
Group A winner v Group B runner-up (ABC Noon) at Belo Horizonte
Group C winner v Group D runner-up (ABC 4 p.m.) at Rio de Janeiro

Sunday, June 29
Group B winner v Group A runner-up (ESPN Noon) at Fortaleza
Group D winner v Group C runner-up (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Recife

Monday, June 30
Group E winner v Group F runner-up (ESPN Noon) at Brasilia
Group G winner v Group H runner-up (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Porto Alegre

Tuesday, July 1
Group F winner v Group E runner-up (ESPN Noon) at Sao Paulo
Group H winner v Group G runner-up (ESPN 5 p.m.) at Salvador

Quarterfinals
Friday, July 4
Monday winners (ESPN2 Noon) at Rio de Janeiro
Saturday winners (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Fortaleza

Saturday, July 5
Tuesday winners (ABC Noon) at Brasilia
Sunday winners (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Salvador

World Cup Semifinals Matches
Tuesday, July 8
Friday winners (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Belo Horizonte

Wednesday, July 9
Saturday winners (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Sao Paulo

Third Place Match
Saturday, July 12
Semifinal losers (ESPN 4 p.m.) at Brasilia

World Cup Championship Match
Sunday, July 13
Semifinal winners (ABC 3 p.m.) at Rio de Janeiro