With all the talk about brackets for the NCAA tourney, and seeing this article on dynamic duos, I was inspired to do a World Cup bracket.  There still could be a lot happen.  There could be so crazy Togo-esque shooting or just simple injuries.  I got the layout of the below from Wikipedia, so please respect their Creative Commons license.  I’m not going to do game scores, but I’m leaving the matches here just so people can have that info available here.

Here are some of my thoughts. First, despite in the past home field advantage playing a huge role in the World Cup, with Brazil being the only team to not win on their continent, I really can’t see the African teams doing any better.  South Africa may be the weakest team in the competition.  The big African countries seem also destined to disappoint.  Algeria, Nigeria and Ghana could all get out of their group stage, but I don’t see them going too much further.  Nigeria’s new coach could prove not to be a perfect fit immediately and Algeria is so inconsistent I could also see the finishing last in their group.

It will be cold, but European players are used to playing in the cold European winters.  It may slow down Spain, but Torres plays in England and the rest of the team certainly plays elsewhere in Champions League action.  The European teams are also going to be on their own time zone or close to it.

Group A is the toughest call.  South Africa, though weak, could surprise in the first round.  France has the talent to win it all, but is so dysfunctional you wonder if they will even make it out of the group.  Mexico is probably sending one of their best squads ever, but who knows if they can survive the previous coaching debacle.  Uruguay‘s chance rest on Forlán as far as I’m concerned.  I don’t know if anything short of winning it will save Domenech‘s job and I could see a USA-98-like performance coming from them.  Ultimately, despite their talent, I don’t see them getting out of the group.

Things get tough to call in the semifinals with Germany vs. Spain.  Will Spain show up like they did in the Confed Cup?  If so, the Swiss or Honduras could play spoiler.  You have to like the Swiss and Chile, conditions-wise.  Ultimately, I guess I see the curse of winning off European soil to continue.  Dunga seems to have good control of his team.  It’s hard to argue with the team that wins the top qualification out of South America, the top team in ELO rankings and the second team in FIFA rankings.

Matches

All times are South African Standard Time (UTC+2)

Group stage

In the following tables:

• Pld = total games played
• W = total games won
• D = total games drawn (tied)
• L = total games lost
• GF = total goals scored (goals for)
• GA = total goals conceded (goals against)
• GD = goal difference (GF−GA)
• Pts = total points accumulated

The teams placed first and second (shaded in green) qualified to the round of 16.

Tie-breaking criteria

For the World Cup tournament, FIFA uses the following criteria to rank teams in the Group Stage.^[78]

1. greatest number of points in all group matches;
2. goal difference in all group matches;
3. greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
4. greatest number of points in matches between tied teams;
5. goal difference in matches between tied teams;
6. greatest number of goals scored in matches between tied teams;
7. drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee or play-off depending on time schedule.

Group A

Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts South Africa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mexico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Uruguay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 France 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

11 June 2010
South Africa	Match 1	Mexico	Soccer City, Johannesburg
Uruguay	Match 2	France	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
16 June 2010
South Africa	Match 17	Uruguay	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
17 June 2010
France	Match 20	Mexico	Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
22 June 2010
Mexico	Match 33	Uruguay	Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
France	Match 34	South Africa	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Group B

Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Argentina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nigeria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Korea Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Greece 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

12 June 2010
Korea Republic	Match 3	Greece	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Argentina	Match 4	Nigeria	Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
17 June 2010
Argentina	Match 18	Korea Republic	Soccer City, Johannesburg
Greece	Match 19	Nigeria	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
22 June 2010
Nigeria	Match 35	Korea Republic	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Greece	Match 36	Argentina	Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane

Group C

Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts England 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 United States 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Algeria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Slovenia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

12 June 2010
England	Match 5	United States	Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
13 June 2010
Algeria	Match 6	Slovenia	Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
18 June 2010
Slovenia	Match 22	United States	Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
England	Match 23	Algeria	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
23 June 2010
Slovenia	Match 37	England	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
United States	Match 38	Algeria	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

Group D

Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Germany 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Australia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Serbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ghana 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

13 June 2010
Serbia	Match 7	Ghana	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Germany	Match 8	Australia	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
18 June 2010
Germany	Match 21	Serbia	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
19 June 2010
Ghana	Match 25	Australia	Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
23 June 2010
Ghana	Match 39	Germany	Soccer City, Johannesburg
Australia	Match 40	Serbia	Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

Group E

Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Denmark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Japan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cameroon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 June 2010
Netherlands	Match 9	Denmark	Soccer City, Johannesburg
Japan	Match 10	Cameroon	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
19 June 2010
Netherlands	Match 24	Japan	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Cameroon	Match 26	Denmark	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
24 June 2010
Denmark	Match 43	Japan	Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
Cameroon	Match 44	Netherlands	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

Group F

Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Italy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Paraguay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 New Zealand 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Slovakia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 June 2010
Italy	Match 11	Paraguay	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
15 June 2010
New Zealand	Match 12	Slovakia	Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
20 June 2010
Slovakia	Match 27	Paraguay	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Italy	Match 28	New Zealand	Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
24 June 2010
Slovakia	Match 41	Italy	Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Paraguay	Match 42	New Zealand	Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane

Group G

Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Brazil 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Korea DPR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Côte d’Ivoire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

15 June 2010
Côte d’Ivoire	Match 13	Portugal	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Brazil	Match 14	Korea DPR	Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
20 June 2010
Brazil	Match 29	Côte d’Ivoire	Soccer City, Johannesburg
21 June 2010
Portugal	Match 30	Korea DPR	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
25 June 2010
Korea DPR	Match 45	Côte d’Ivoire	Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Portugal	Match 46	Brazil	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

Group H

Team v • d • e Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Honduras 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chile 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

16 June 2010
Honduras	Match 15	Chile	Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Spain	Match 16	Switzerland	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
21 June 2010
Chile	Match 31	Switzerland	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Spain	Match 32	Honduras	Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
25 June 2010
Chile	Match 47	Spain	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Switzerland	Match 48	Honduras	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Knockout stage

Round of 16

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

26 June – Port Elizabeth

Uruguay

2 July – Johannesburg

Korea Republic

Uruguay

26 June – Rustenburg

England

England

6 July – Cape Town

Ghana

Uruguay

28 June – Durban

Brazil

Netherlands

2 July – Port Elizabeth

Paraguay

Netherlands

28 June – Johannesburg

Brazil

Brazil

11 July – Johannesburg

Chile

Brazil

27 June – Johannesburg

Spain

Argentina

3 July – Cape Town

BRAZIL!

Mexico

Argentina

27 June – Bloemfontein

Germany

Germany

7 July – Durban

USA

Germany

29 June – Pretoria

Spain

Third place

Italy

3 July – Johannesburg

10 July – Port Elizabeth

Denmark

Italy

Losers of Match 61

29 June – Cape Town

Spain

Losers of Match 62

Spain

Portugal

Round of 16

26 June 2010 16:00	Winners of Group A	Match 49	Runners-up of Group B	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

26 June 2010 20:30	Winners of Group C	Match 50	Runners-up of Group D	Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg

27 June 2010 16:00	Winners of Group D	Match 51	Runners-up of Group C	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

27 June 2010 20:30	Winners of Group B	Match 52	Runners-up of Group A	Soccer City, Johannesburg

28 June 2010 16:00	Winners of Group E	Match 53	Runners-up of Group F	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

28 June 2010 20:30	Winners of Group G	Match 54	Runners-up of Group H	Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

29 June 2010 16:00	Winners of Group F	Match 55	Runners-up of Group E	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

29 June 2010 20:30	Winners of Group H	Match 56	Runners-up of Group G	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

Quarter-finals

2 July 2010 16:00	Winners of Match 53	Match 57	Winners of Match 54	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

2 July 2010 20:30	Winners of Match 49	Match 58	Winners of Match 50	Soccer City, Johannesburg

3 July 2010 16:00	Winners of Match 52	Match 59	Winners of Match 51	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

3 July 2010 20:30	Winners of Match 55	Match 60	Winners of Match 56	Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

Semi-finals

6 July 2010 20:30	Winners of Match 58	Match 61	Winners of Match 57	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

7 July 2010 20:30	Winners of Match 59	Match 62	Winners of Match 60	Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

Third place play-off

10 July 2010 20:30	Losers of Match 61	Match 63	Losers of Match 62	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Final

11 July 2010 20:30	Winners of Match 61	Match 64	Winners of Match 62	Soccer City, Johannesburg

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