World Cup Schedule 2014: Live Stream and TV Info for All Group Fixtures

While 32 teams come into the 2014 World Cup hoping to win all of their matches, only one squad will be able to end the tournament on top. This level of success can only begin with a strong showing in the group stage.

The draw for the international tournament has been out since December, and squads have used this time to prepare for the first three opponents that will decide their fate. Although some groups are tougher than others, every team in Brazil can cause problems.

We have seen throughout history there are potential contenders that do not make it out of the group stage, and that will not change this year. Here is a breakdown of every group match with a look at top teams that will struggle to reach the knockout stage.

Note: All matches will be available for live stream with the Watch ESPN app.  

Date	Match	Group	Time (ET)	TV	Venue
June 12	Brazil vs. Croatia	A	4 p.m.	ESPN	Sao Paulo
June 13	Mexico vs. Cameroon	A	12 p.m.	ESPN2	Natal
June 13	Spain vs. Netherlands	B	3 p.m.	ESPN	Salvador
June 13	Chile vs. Australia	B	6 p.m.	ESPN2	Cuiaba
June 14	Colombia vs. Greece	C	12 p.m.	ABC	Belo Horizonte
June 14	Uruguay vs. Costa Rica	D	3 p.m.	ABC	Fortaleza
June 14	Ivory Coast vs. Japan	C	6 p.m.	ESPN	Recife
June 14	England vs. Italy	D	6 p.m.	ESPN	Manaus
June 15	Switzerland vs. Ecuador	E	12 p.m.	ABC	Brasilia
June 15	France vs. Honduras	E	3 p.m.	ABC	Porto Alegre
June 15	Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina	F	6 p.m.	ESPN	Rio De Janeiro
June 16	Germany vs. Portugal	G	12 p.m.	ESPN	Salvador
June 16	Iran vs. Nigeria	F	3 p.m.	ESPN	Curitiba
June 16	Ghana vs. United States	G	6 p.m.	ESPN	Natal
June 17	Belgium vs. Algeria	H	12 p.m.	ESPN	Belo Horizonte
June 17	Brazil vs. Mexico	A	3 p.m.	ESPN	Fortaleza
June 17	Russia vs. South Korea	H	6 p.m.	ESPN	Cuiaba
June 18	Australia vs. Netherlands	B	12 p.m.	ESPN	Porto Alegre
June 18	Cameroon vs. Croatia	A	3 p.m.	ESPN	Manaus
June 18	Spain vs. Chile	B	6 p.m.	ESPN	Rio De Janeiro
June 19	Colombia vs. Ivory Coast	C	12 p.m.	ESPN	Brasilia
June 19	Uruguay vs. England	D	3 p.m.	ESPN	Sao Paulo
June 19	Greece vs. Japan	C	6 p.m.	ESPN	Natal
June 20	Costa Rica vs. Italy	D	12 p.m.	ESPN	Recife
June 20	Switzerland vs. France	E	3 p.m.	ESPN	Salvador
June 20	Ecuador vs. Honduras	E	6 p.m.	ESPN	Curitiba
June 21	Argentina vs. Iran	F	12 p.m.	ESPN	Belo Horizonte
June 21	Germany vs. Ghana	G	3 p.m.	ESPN	Fortaleza
June 21	Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Nigeria	F	6 p.m.	ESPN	Cuiaba
June 22	South Korea vs. Algeria	H	3 p.m.	ABC	Porto Alegre
June 22	United States vs. Portugal	G	6 p.m.	ESPN	Manaus
June 22	Belgium vs. Russia	H	12 p.m.	ABC	Rio De Janeiro
June 23	Australia vs. Spain	B	12 p.m.	ESPN2	Curitiba
June 23	Chile vs. Netherlands	B	12 p.m.	ESPN	Sao Paulo
June 23	Brazil vs. Cameroon	A	4 p.m.	ESPN2	Brasilia
June 23	Croatia vs. Mexico	A	4 p.m.	ESPN	Recife
June 24	Italy vs. Uruguay	D	12 p.m.	ESPN	Natal
June 24	Costa Rica vs. England	D	12 p.m.	ESPN2	Belo Horizonte
June 24	Japan vs. Colombia	C	4 p.m.	ESPN	Cuiaba
June 24	Greece vs. Ivory Coast	C	4 p.m.	ESPN2	Fortaleza
June 25	Nigeria vs. Argentina	F	12 p.m.	ESPN	Porto Alegre
June 25	Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Iran	F	12 p.m.	ESPN2	Salvador
June 25	Honduras vs. Switzerland	E	4 p.m.	ESPN2	Manaus
June 25	France vs. Ecuador	E	4 p.m.	ESPN	Rio De Janeiro
June 26	United States vs. Germany	G	12 p.m.	ESPN	Recife
June 26	Portugal vs. Ghana	G	12 p.m.	ESPN2	Brasilia
June 26	South Korea vs. Belgium	H	4 p.m.	ESPN	Sao Paulo
June 26	Algeria vs. Russia	H	4 p.m.	ESPN2	Curitiba

Netherlands

Peter Dejong/Associated Press

While the Dutch were able to go all the way to the finals at the last World Cup, things will not be as easy this time around. The top players are moving past their prime, and even star Robin van Persie is coming off one of the worst years in his career with Manchester United.

The defense is also extremely inexperienced and prone to mistakes against good teams, which it will see a lot of in Brazil.

Even former star goalkeeper Edwin van Der Sar does not think this World Cup will be great for the Netherlands, telling FIFA.com:

"

We are in a little bit more of a difficult time now, we don't have the ten or eleven world class players in our team – we have maybe three or four and they are getting older. So it's about time that the young Dutch generation pick up the laurels from the older ones and hopefully can achieve, first with their clubs and then the national team, a little more success than over the last three or four years.

"

Of course, the biggest problems will be with the opponents. The first match of the tournament for this squad is against Spain, which have spent almost a decade as the premier national team in the world. The team has won the last three major international titles (World Cup and two European championships) and still has the best midfield in the world.

Also in Group B is Chile, which performed exceptionally well in CONMEBOL qualifying and will have somewhat of a home-field advantage playing in South America.

Netherlands will get a break in the middle with a match against Australia, but it might not be enough to get into the knockout stage.

Uruguay

Hassan Ammar/Associated Press

Like the Netherlands, Uruguay have been put into an extremely difficult group in the World Cup. Even experienced defender Diego Godin voiced his concerns with Group D to Sky Sports, via Fox Sports:

"

We have been given a group with very strong teams. England do not talk much but I think it is a very strong team with players going through a great time. They are at a high level and it is going to be very difficult. Italy are always a favourite to win in past World Cups and we faced them in the Confederations Cup. And Costa Rica is our debut match in Brazil, the first game is always difficult and it is a grand final because it is so important for the group.

"

The squad's chances got even worse when star forward Luis Suarez was forced to undergo knee surgery only a few weeks before the start of the World Cup, via the Associated Press:

Even if the talented scorer plays, he will clearly be less than 100 percent on the pitch. The talented group still has other options in Diego Forlan and Edinson Cavani, but it is clearly not as dangerous.

Uruguay were extremely inconsistent in qualifying, finishing in fifth place in the CONMEBOL table and only earning a trip to Brazil in a final play-off match. Against experienced teams like England and Italy with elite defenses, it will be difficult to score.

While the South American team has the talent to go the distance, a difficult group could prevent it from even escaping the group stage.

Mexico

Based on talent alone, many people are expecting Mexico to at least reach the round of 16. Javier Hernandez and Giovani dos Santos have showcased plenty of talent in European leagues, while the local stars have displayed their skill in big matches as well.

Unfortunately, the squad limped through qualifying and struggled mightily just to score. The rotation of managers was also a problem, as Tom Marshall of ESPN FC noted:

Miguel Herrera is now at the helm and will hope that he can get this versatile group of players to live up to expectations.

This will not be easy in a group that seems impossible to win with Brazil looming in the top spot. The hosts have talent at every position and come into the tournament with plenty of confidence after winning the Confederations Cup last summer.

There is a chance to finish in second place in Group A, but Croatia will not be an easy team to beat with a talented midfield led by Luka Modric. Even Cameroon will present a challenge with their strong defense.

Mexico could surprise people in this World Cup, but an early exit seems much more likely at this time.

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