SOCCER WORLD CUP ARTICLES

In a little more than two weeks, the most watched and anticipated sporting event will finally kick off. Billions from around the world will tune in to watch the 2018 World Cup. There is no clear favorite for this year’s tournament, as both Brazil and Germany have a couple crucial injury concerns heading into the event. That could lead to some surprising results as the top teams from six different continents meet to determine who is the best in the world. ... 

Group H is wide-open. This is the one group at the 2018 World Cup that it feels like any team can win. Colombia is the shortest favorite of any team, and it’s worth noting that it is not considered odds-on to win the group.
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Pretty much everyone is predicting both of the European powers to make it out of Group G. Belgium and England are essentially 1A and 1B in this group... 

Germany is out to defend its title and is the favorite entering the 2018 World Cup. The Germans have an abundance of talent at nearly every position. Last year, manager Joachim Low made no effort to hide that he was bringing his ‘B’ team to the Confederations Cup in order to give some of the younger players more experience. They showed that they would be one of the strongest teams in the world too with a dominant performance en route to the title.... 

The country with the most storied history at the World Cup is a massive favorite to win Group E. Brazil has won five World Cups and will be looking for number six after a very disappointing exit in the last World Cup. They were the favorites to win it all as the hosts and the pressure on the Selecao was immense.... 

This is France’s group to lose. Although the other teams in this group aren’t pushovers, France has far more talent than any other team in this group. The French are absolutely loaded at every position on the pitch, while each of the three other teams have some major concerns that threaten to keep them out of the knockout stage.... 

If you’re looking for a group with plenty of excitement and compelling story lines, look no further than Group D. Lionel Messi is looking to finally win a major international tournament for Argentina after finishing as runners-up at the 2014 World Cup, 2015 Copa America and 2016 Copa America. Meanwhile, Croatia is looking to recreate its magical run back in 1998, which is still considered one of the most surprising runs ever. ... 

No one is expecting anyone other than Spain and Portugal to emerge from Group B. The two giants from the Iberian Peninsula have each won a major tournament this decade with Spain winning the 2010 World Cup and Portugal winning the 2016 European Championship.... 

Group A is just one of two groups in which there is no team that is an odds-on favorite to win the group. Many observers believe that Uruguay and Russia are the most likely teams to get out, but Egypt is sitting back as an intriguing dark horse thanks to the play of Mo Salah. Saudi Arabia is seen as the only team without much of a shot, but this side has a good amount of experience and could surprise.... 

European World Cup qualifying has been bizarre over the course of the last year and change. Now, we're down to just two matches left to be played and two tickets left to be punched to the World Cup in Russia. Italy and Sweden will be up first on Monday with the penultimate spot to the World Cup from UEFA on the line, but Ireland and Denmark might be facing the even greater challenge.... 

After 90 minutes of both of the intercontinental playoffs for the 2018 World Cup, there isn't a goal to discuss. All is left to play for in the Australia/Honduras fixture and the Peru/New Zealand fixture, and it's a wonder if either of these matches will be decided in the cruelest of ways in a penalty shootout. There will surely be no shortage of drama on Wednesday night when the last two tickets to the World Cup will be handed out.... 

France has made a mess of its World Cup qualifying campaign. Les Bleus are assured of at least a spot in the European playoffs at this point, but never in their wildest dreams did they imagine having to play out this last match against Belarus to assure winning Group A.... 

Group B of UEFA World Cup qualifying hasn't had a heck of a lot of drama to it over the course of the last year and a half. Portugal and Switzerland have run roughshod over the rest of this group and have the maximum eight wins against the other teams in the home-and-home series. The Swiss were able to beat the Portuguese when these two teams met 368 days ago. Now, Portugal will have to win the rematch on Tuesday if it wants to avoid falling into the home-and-home playoff for Europe's last spots to the world's biggest soccer tournament.... 

Argentina was never supposed to be in this position. With one match left in the round-robin World Cup qualifying in CONMEBOL, Lionel Messi and his squad need all three points to stay alive. The Argentines are far from a lock against an Ecuador team that would love nothing more than to send one of their South American rivals out of the World Cup.... 

When the United States Men's National Team has really had to come up with three points against an inferior team in World Cup qualifying, they've gotten the job done. They don't need all three to reach the World Cup, but a draw against Trinidad & Tobago would be enough to punch their ticket to Russia in 2018.... 

The city of Orlando has gone soccer crazy over the course of the last several years with Orlando City in the City Beautiful. The hope for the United States Men's National Team is that Orlando is going to be the deciding factor in the biggest match of the second Bruce Arena era to date. The Yanks play their last World Cup qualifier at home on Friday night against France.This World Cup Qualifying duel will go down Saturday, October 7, 2017, at 2:45 p.m. ET at Vasil Levski National Stadium. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.... 

Argentina is one of these teams that theoretically really shouldn't struggle to get into the World Cup. Yet with the exception of Brazil, there isn't such a thing as a team that isn't sweating its butt off in the final two rounds of qualifying taking place this week. On Thursday, Argentina will face off with Peru in what is sure to be one of the more meaningful matches in the world on the night.Don't miss the World Cup Qualifying action from Estadio Alberto J. Armando at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 5, 2017. Catch every moment of the match live on beIN Sports.... 

The city of Orlando has gone soccer crazy over the course of the last several years with Orlando City in the City Beautiful. The hope for the United States Men's National Team is that Orlando is going to be the deciding factor in the biggest match of the second Bruce Arena era to date. The Yanks play their last World Cup qualifier at home on Friday night against Panama.... 

England has really never struggled in Group F of UEFA qualifying. That said, the Three Lions haven't done quite enough to get into the World Cup yet. With three points against Slovenia on Thursday night at Wembley Stadium, though, all of the drama will be off, and the Brits will be on their way to Russia.... 

It's going to be hot. It's going to be sticky. And it's going to be as hostile of an environment as the United States Men's National Team has seen in a long time on the road to the World Cup. After a shocking third loss in the Hexagonal to Costa Rica last Friday night, the Yanks are going to have to face Honduras and all of the elements that come with a trip to San Pedro Sula on Tuesday night with the dream of going to Russia in 2018 on the line.Don't miss the World Cup Qualifying action from Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano at 5:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 5, 2017. Catch every moment of the match live on beIN Sports.... 

Israel was dealt an absolutely devastating blow to its chances of qualifying for the World Cup last week when it was beaten by Macedonia. Now, the only real hope the Israelis have is pulling off what would be one of the more shocking upsets of the entire World Cup qualifying circuits against Italy in Reggio.This World Cup Qualifier duel will go down Tuesday, September 5, 2017, at 2:45 p.m. ET at Mapei Stadium. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.... 

The Costa Ricans will effectively forever be able to say that they put the final nail in the coaching career of Jurgen Klinsmann with the U.S. Men's National Team. They scored a 4-0 win back in November in World Cup qualifying in San Jose, the last match Klinsmann had as the boss of the Stars and Stripes. That said, Los Ticos may have opened up Pandora's Box with Bruce Arena coming back for a second stint coaching the Americans. Arena has yet to lose in 14 matches in his old post, and there's little reason to believe that won't keep up in a match that means so much more to the USA than it does to Costa Rica on Friday night.Don't miss the World Cup Qualifying action from Red Bull Arena at 6:55 p.m. ET on Friday, September 1, 2017. Catch every moment of the match live on ESPN.... 

CONCACAF could have its first official participant in the World Cup as soon as Friday night. A win for Mexico would give it 17 points in its first seven matches in World Cup qualifying, and that would be enough to give it the old 'Y' next to its name to signify qualification to the world's biggest tournament. Panama is currently the bubble team that could be headed to the intercontinental playoff, and anything it could snare from this match would be welcome in the quest to head to Russia next year.This World Cup Qualifying duel will go down Friday, September 1, 2017, at 9:30 p.m. ET at Estadio Azteca. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 2.... 

With five matches left to be played in Group F, England knows that it's basically on its way to the World Cup. The team hasn't blinked yet in a match that mattered aside from a nil-nil draw against Slovenia on the road, and a victory over Scotland should effectively end any chances anyone else had of running down the Three Lions in the group.... 

The United States Men's National Team has had played of heartache in recent years against Mexico. The team was beaten by El Tri in the Confederations Cup playoff at the Rose Bowl in 2015, then was beaten in Columbus in the first match in the Hexagonal, the final round of World Cup qualifying. Now, the Stars and Stripes will have a chance to move a step closer to the 2018 World Cup at Estadio Azteca on Sunday night....