World Cup/Summer Sports Open Thread

World Cup Group Stage Schedule (kickoff times in CT)

Thursday, June 12

3:00 p.m. - Brazil vs. Croatia, ESPN (Sao Paulo)

Friday, June 13

11:00 a.m. - Mexico vs. Cameroon, ESPN2 (Natal)
2:00 p.m. - Spain vs. Netherlands, ESPN (Salvador)
5:00 p.m. - Chile vs. Australia, ESPN2 (Cuiaba)

Saturday, June 14

11:00 a.m. - Colombia vs. Greece, ABC (Belo Horizonte)
2:00 p.m. - Uruguay vs. Costa Rica, ABC (Fortaleza)
5:00 p.m. - England vs. Italy, ESPN (Manaus)
8:00 p.m. - Ivory Coast vs. Japan, ESPN (Recife)

Sunday, June 15

11:00 a.m. - Switzerland vs. Ecuador, ABC (Brasilia)
2:00 p.m. - France vs. Honduras, ABC (Porto Alegre)
5:00 p.m. - Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, ESPN (Rio de Janeiro)

Monday, June 16

11:00 a.m. - Germany vs. Portugal, ESPN (Salvador)
2:00 p.m. - Iran vs. Nigeria, ESPN (Curitiba)
5:00 p.m. - Ghana vs. United States, ESPN (Natal)

Tuesday, June 17

11:00 a.m. - Belgium vs. Algeria, ESPN (Belo Horizonte)
2:00 p.m. - Brazil vs. Mexico, ESPN (Fortaleza)
5:00 p.m. - Russia vs. South Korea, ESPN (Cuiaba)

Wednesday, June 18

11:00 a.m. - Australia vs. Netherlands, ESPN (Porto Alegre)
2:00 p.m. - Spain vs. Chile, ESPN (Rio de Janeiro)
5:00 p.m. - Cameroon vs. Croatia, ESPN (Manaus)

Thursday, June 19

11:00 a.m. - Colombia vs. Ivory Coast, ESPN (Brasilia)
2:00 p.m. - Uruguay vs. England, ESPN (Sao Paulo)
5:00 p.m. - Japan vs. Greece, ESPN (Natal)

Friday, June 20

11:00 a.m. - Italy vs. Costa Rica, ESPN (Recife)
2:00 p.m. - Switzerland vs. France, ESPN (Salvador)
5:00 p.m. - Honduras vs. Ecuador, ESPN (Curitiba)

Saturday, June 21

11:00 a.m. - Argentina vs. Iran, ESPN (Belo Horizonte)
2:00 p.m. - Germany vs. Ghana, ESPN (Fortaleza)
5:00 p.m. - Nigeria vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, ESPN (Cuiaba)

Sunday, June 22

11:00 a.m. - Belgium vs. Russia, ABC (Rio de Janeiro)
2:00 p.m. - South Korea vs. Algeria, ABC (Porto Alegre)
5:00 p.m. - United States vs. Portugal, ESPN (Manaus)

Monday, June 23

11:00 a.m. - Netherlands vs. Chile, ESPN (Sao Paulo)
11:00 a.m. - Australia vs. Spain, ESPN2 (Curitiba)
3:00 p.m. - Croatia vs. Mexico, ESPN (Recife)
3:00 p.m. - Cameroon vs. Brazil, ESPN2 (Brasilia)

Tuesday, June 24

11:00 a.m. - Italy vs. Uruguay, ESPN (Natal)
11:00 a.m. - Costa Rica vs. England, ESPN2 (Belo Horizonte)
3:00 p.m. - Japan vs. Colombia, ESPN (Cuiaba)
3:00 p.m. - Greece vs. Ivory Coast, ESPN2 (Fortaleza)

Wednesday, June 25

11:00 a.m. - Nigeria vs. Argentina, ESPN (Porto Alegre)
11:00 a.m. - Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Iran, ESPN2 (Salvador)
3:00 p.m. - Ecuador vs. France, ESPN (Rio de Janeiro)
3:00 p.m. - Honduras vs. Switzerland, ESPN2 (Manaus)

Thursday, June 26

11:00 a.m. - United States vs. Germany, ESPN (Recife)
11:00 a.m. - Portugal vs. Ghana, ESPN2 (Brasilia)
3:00 p.m. - South Korea vs. Belgium, ESPN (Sao Paulo)
3:00 p.m. - Algeria vs. Russia, ESPN2 (Curitiba)

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I know for some Corn Nation readers, the World Cup isn't your cup of tea and you would rather watch Iowa football highlights instead so to each their own.  Since this is an open thread, I hope the discussion is filled with a variety of topics.  The Stanley Cup Final, NBA Final and College World Series are currently taking place as well.  Summer is in full swing so this could be the opportunity to talk about your vacation plans or swap BBQ recipes.

To kick off the conversation in this thread, feel free to say five countries (whose teams are playing in the World Cup) you would love to visit!

GO BIG RED!!!