World cup soccer is taking the GTA by storm. Many flags already adorn cars around town. Soccer fans are taking time off of work (and school!) to watch the games. These “Olympics of Soccer” are played every 4 years and this year they are hosted by Brazil who won their opening day game.
Not so fortunate were the Spanish who received a drubbing by the Netherlands 1-5. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas was not pleased with his or his team’s performance as even the famous goalie goofed up a passback resulting in yet another goal against the team.
The World Cup Soccer Schedule is as follows:
THURSDAY, JUNE 12
4 pm ET | Brazil vs. Croatia | Sao Paulo | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
FRIDAY, JUNE 13
12 pm ET | Mexico vs. Cameroon | Natal | TV: ESPN2/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada) | LIVE MATCHCENTER
3 pm ET | Spain vs. Netherlands | Salvador | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada) | LIVE MATCHCENTER
6 pm ET | Chile vs. Australia | Cuiaba | TV: ESPN2/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada) | LIVE MATCHCENTER
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
12 pm ET | Colombia vs. Greece | Belo Horizonte | TV: ABC/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
3 pm ET | Uruguay vs. Costa Rica | Fortaleza | TV: ABC/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
6 pm ET | England vs. Italy | Manaus | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
9 pm ET | Ivory Coast vs. Japan | Recife | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
SUNDAY, JUNE 15
12 pm ET | Switzerland vs. Ecuador | Brasília | TV: ABC/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
3 pm ET | France vs. Honduras | Porto Alegre | TV: ABC/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
6 pm ET | Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina | Rio de Janeiro | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
MONDAY, JUNE 16
12 pm ET | Germany vs. Portugal | Salvador | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
3 pm ET | Iran vs. Nigeria | Curitiba | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
6 pm ET | Ghana vs. USA | Natal | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
TUESDAY, JUNE 17
12 pm ET | Belgium vs. Algeria | Belo Horizonte | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
3 pm ET | Brazil vs. Mexico | Fortaleza | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
6 pm ET | Russia vs. South Korea | Cuiaba | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18
12 pm ET | Netherlands vs. Australia | Porto Alegre | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
3 pm ET | Spain vs. Chile | Rio de Janeiro | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
6 pm ET | Cameroon vs. Croatia | Manaus | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
THURSDAY, JUNE 19
12 pm ET | Colombia vs. Ivory Coast | Brasilia | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
3 pm ET | Uruguay vs. England | Sao Paulo | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
6 pm ET | Greece vs. Japan | Natal | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
12 pm ET | Costa Rica vs. Italy | Recife | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
3 pm ET | Switzerland vs. France | Salvador | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
6 pm ET | Ecuador vs. Honduras | Curitiba | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
SATURDAY, JUNE 21
12 pm ET | Argentina vs. Iran | Belo Horizonte | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
3 pm ET | Germany vs. Ghana | Fortaleza | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
6 pm ET | Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Nigeria | Cuiaba | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
SUNDAY, JUNE 22
12 pm ET | Belgium vs. Russia | Rio de Janeiro | TV: ABC/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
3 pm ET | Algeria vs. South Korea | Porto Alegre | TV: ABC/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
6 pm ET | Portugal vs. USA | Manaus | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC (Canada)
MONDAY, JUNE 23
12 pm ET | Netherlands vs. Chile | Sao Paulo | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
12 pm ET | Australia vs. Spain | Curitiba | TV: ESPN2/UniMas (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
4 pm ET | Croatia vs. Mexico | Recife | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
4 pm ET | Cameroon vs. Brazil | Brasilia | TV: ESPN2/UniMas (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
TUESDAY, JUNE 24
12 pm ET | Italy vs. Uruguay | Natal | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
12 pm ET | Costa Rica vs. England | Belo Horizonte | TV: ESPN2/UniMas (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
4 pm ET | Japan vs. Colombia | Cuiaba | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
4 pm ET | Greece vs. Ivory Coast | Fortaleza | TV: ESPN2/UniMas (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25
12 pm ET | Nigeria vs. Argentina | Porto Alegre | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
12 pm ET | Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Iran | Salvador | TV: ESPN2/UniMas (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
4 pm ET | Ecuador vs. France | Rio de Janeiro | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
4 pm ET | Honduras vs. Switzerland | Manaus | TV: ESPN2/UniMas (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
THURSDAY, JUNE 26
12 pm ET | USA vs. Germany | Recife | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
12 pm ET | Portugal vs. Ghana | Brasilia | TV: ESPN2/UniMas (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
4 pm ET | South Korea vs. Belgium | Sao Paulo | TV: ESPN/Univision (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
4 pm ET | Algeria vs. Russia | Curitiba | TV: ESPN2/UniMas (USA), CBC/Sportsnet (Canada)
Once winners are determined in the opening rounds above, the playoffs begin.
Oakville has one of the biggest soccer clubs in North America and enjoys the game immensely. Maybe next time Canada will be in the World Cup!
Cheer for your favorite team. Let us know who you are cheering for in the comment box below and share your soccer spirit!
(mine was Germany, but with Marco Reus out on an injury, anything can happen!)