Groups

Groups and Fixtures

There are never easy groups at the World Cup finals but some teams certainly get luckier than others, like England for example.

Sven the Swede could just about keep a straight face when last December's draw pitted his side against Trinidad & Tobago, Paraguay and, of course, his home nation.

Of the other leading nations, Italy have perhaps faired the worst with tricky first-round games against Ghana, the US and the Czech Republic scheduled.

Argentina, too, could face a difficult time in negotiating a path around Holland, Ivory Coast and Serbia and Montenegro.

Still, though, all the pre-tournament favourites look to have the clout and know-how to secure their ticket for the knockout stages.

But didn't we say that for years ago when France, Portugal and Argentina all crashed spectacularly at the first fence?

So then, follow the progress of all 32 nations as they prepare for battle by selecting your chosen group from the drop-down menu above.