General info:
Host country - Brazil
Dates - 12 June – 13 July
Teams - 32 (from 5 confederations)
Venue(s) - 12 (in 12 host cities)
Group stage:
Group A - Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon
Group B - Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia
Group C - Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast(Côte d'Ivoire), Japan
Group D - Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
Group E - Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras
Group F - Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Group G - Germany, Portugal, Ghana, United States
Group H - Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea
The first round, or group stage, will see the thirty-two teams divided into eight groups of four teams. Each group will compete in a round-robin of six games, where each team will play one match against each of the other teams in the same group. Teams will be awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw and none for a defeat. The teams finishing first and second in each group will progress to the Round of 16.