World Cup 2014: Upcoming Dates Soccer Fans Need to Know

The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil kicks off in exactly one year—but there are plenty of dates to keep in mind regarding the world's biggest tournament before then.

Whether it's the final round of fixtures, the days the playoff draws will be made, or when you can get your tickets sorted for your favourite group, keeping note of the significant milestones can only make the latest edition of the World Cup a more enjoyable experience.

A World Cup Preview?

First and foremost, a trial run of the World Cup will be taking place later this month. For FIFA it's another flagship event, but basically the Confederations Cup is a chance to ensure the host nation has everything in order.

It allows Brazil the chance to host large crowds, play in new stadiums and test out infrastructure before the huge crowds that will arrive in a year's time when the World Cup starts.

The Confederations Cup runs from June 15 to June 30.

Get Your Tickets!

An important one, this, but you've still got time to save up.

Tickets for World Cup 2014 matches will go on sale on 20 August, 2013, direct from FIFA.com. Full details have not yet been released, with still so much left to be decided in terms of the qualifiers, the stadium preparation and much more, but by late August the demand for tickets will start rolling in.

Unfortunately we don't yet know quite how much a ticket to Team A vs. Team B in Group C will set you back; FIFA won't be releasing pricing details until July 1.

End of the Line

So you've got tickets; now you need to know who you're seeing. The only way to find that out, of course, is to keep a keen eye on all the latest World Cup qualifying results and plot ahead to see who will be in which pot for the main draw!

Will Jordan vs. Oman on June 18 be key to your fortunes? Or perhaps Ireland vs. Sweden on September 6 is more pertinent?

The different qualifying zones all come to a close at different times, with playoffs coming later, so here's a full rundown for you:

Africa: The CAF section will come to an end after the Round Three playoffs, with the second legs all taking place by November 19.

Asia: The last group stage, yielding four qualifiers for the World Cup, ends on June 18 in Asia. However, the two third-place teams have a playoff against each other, then the winner of that will play an intercontinental playoff to see if they reach the finals. The last game involving an Asian nation will be played by November 19.

Europe: October 15 is the main date to keep in mind for European fans. That is the date of the last round of group stage fixtures, when all nine group winners will be known. These sides progress to the finals. Eight of the nine runners-up will contest a playoff match, with the four winners also going through. These playoffs also take place by November 19.

North America, Central America and Caribbean: The Hexagonal stage will come to an end on September 10. The three qualifiers will be known by then, as will the playoff contestant.

Oceania: New Zealand won the Oceania stage, but they still face a playoff to see if they make it to Brazil. The playoff will take place on November 15 and 19.

South America: October 15 is also the day that the marathon South American qualifying group comes to a close. Four teams will go through by this point, with one more playing in the playoff. November 19 is D-Day here.

The Big Draw

December 6, 2013.

That's the date that the draw will be made for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

After then, we'll know which is the Group of Death, who faces hosts Brazil, which European teams have been paired together and, maybe most importantly of all, just how badly your pick in the office sweepstakes are going to do.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup Kicks Off!

The Opening Match will take place on 12 June in Sao Paulo, with a kick-off time of 17.00.

So claims the official FIFA website, so that's the date to mark off in your calendars—one year from today!

World Cup Final

A month-long festival of football, fans, optimism and over-excited television commentators will come to a close on July 13, when the 2014 World Cup Final takes place in Rio de Janeiro.

Will Brazil themselves be there? Can Spain win a fourth major title in a row? Will an African nation finally put their name on the trophy, or will one of Brazil's big rivals achieve the ultimate victory on enemy soil?

There's a long way to go until we find out—but each milestone we pass takes us just that bit closer to one of the greatest days on the footballing calendar, one which rolls around only once every four years.

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