2014 FIFA World Cup: Brazil to face Croatia in opening match

Zee Media Bureau

The much-awaited draw for 2014 FIFA World Cup was completed for next year`s finals in the Brazilian resort of Costa do Sauipe. Here is the list of the teams and their respective groups. ==================================================================================== Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia Group C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, United States Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic ==================================================================================== Brazil will play Croatia in the opening match of the 2014 World Cup on June 12 in Sao Paulo. Brazil, who hosted the tournament last in 1950 would want to make the home fans proud this time with a sixth World Cup title. Mexico and Cameroon are the other two teams in their group. England soccer fans won't be delighted with the draw, as their team will kick off their campaign against Italy, who knocked them out of Euro 2012, in Manaus. On the other hand, defending champions Spain will begin their campaign in the World Cup with a rematch of the 2010 final against the Netherlands in Salvador on June 12 next year. Spain had defeated Netherlands 1-0 in the final in South Africa, as a result of an extra-time goal by Andres Iniesta. Germany go be up against the United States which is now coached by former German coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Portugal and Ghana are the other two teams in the group. Bosnia-Herzegovina, the debutante in the World Cup, will play its opener against Argentina. Iran and Nigeria are also a part of Group F. ==================================================================================== Pot 1: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Switzerland. Pot 2: Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Chile, Ecuador. Pot 3: Australia, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, United States. Pot 4: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, England, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia. ==================================================================================== The 32 teams are divided into the four pots and they will know about their fate in a while. We need to inform our readers, that the 32 countries in the summer tournament, which begins June 12 and ends after a month, will be divided into eight groups for the first round of play. Hello and welcome to the live coverage of 2014 FIFA World Cup Draw.