FIFA World Cup 2014: The Draw

As customary for football fans all across the world, it is this time in the year prior to the FIFA World Cup in which we can start to make predictions about the winners and losers. This Friday, the official 2014 World Cup draw will take place in the city of Costa do Sauipe (near Salvador), Brazil. All eyes will be on who England will draw in their group, as well as the big guns such as Brazil themselves, and Germany and Spain. The possibilities are in some ways, endless.

The stage is set: Or almost, anyway

The worry of the nation is who England will face in their group. Having been confirmed as an unseeded team (and rightly so), it is possible that the Three Lions could be moved to Pot 2 via a random draw, with the likes of Germany, Spain and Argentina. They currently lie in Pot 4, alongside France, Italy and débutantes on the world stage, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Should England remain in Pot 4, they will avoid such teams until at least the last 16. On the other hand, they will definitely face a Pot 1 team in the group stages, and will look to avoid the hosts, the Germans, Argentina and current world and European champions, Spain, at all costs. If England are moved to pot 2, they will definitely face a South American seed. The following are the best and worst-case scenarios for England:

BEST-CASE SCENARIO:

Pot	Team	FIFA World Ranking (28/11/2013)
1	Switzerland	8th
2	Cameroon	51st
3	Australia	59th
4	England	13th

WORST-CASE SCENARIO:

Pot	Team	FIFA World Ranking (28/11/2013)
1	Brazil	10th
2	England	13th
3	USA	14th
4	Portugal	5th

Without doubt, Roy Hodgson will be hoping that England face the teams of the first category rather than the latter. However, anything could happen and when looking at the worst-case scenario, England may well be in the "Group of Death".

Another "Group of Death" could see Brazil, Italy, France and Mexico in the same group. Furthermore, The Netherlands, Argentina, Ivory Coast and Japan are aware that they could be playing each other in the first round. No group may have more than two countries from the same continent face each other. In that case, it would be impossible for England, Spain and Portugal to be in the same group, despite what some fans may be hoping (or not hoping) for.

The view from other nations will be slightly different. Whoever Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Germany face, they will been safe in the knowledge that they are the favourites to lift the World Cup trophy on 13th July in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium. But victory is never a guarantee and either of the favourites know very well that they could bow out of the tournament as early as the quarter finals - something Brazil have experienced in the last two tournaments. Moreover, there could be surprise packages, the most likely of which is Belgium, who took qualification by storm and are in Pot 1 for Friday's draw. The likes of Mignolet, Hazard, Fellaini, Kompany, Witsel and Lukaku will be fighting long and hard for the remainder of the 2013/14 season in order to get on Belgium's plane to Brazil, come June.

Besides the draw, the preparations in Brazil are in turmoil. Last week's crane collapse in Sao Paulo, which killed 2 workers will have delayed the Arena Corinthians' completion date by a considerable number of weeks (or even months). Several other stadiums look unlikely to meet FIFA's end-of-year deadline and social unrest over infrastructure and public services still remains present, at large.

Nevertheless, Friday's draw is at the subject worldwide attention and will be watched with anticipation. Do not miss it.

Tune in to BBC2 on Friday at 1630 (4:30pm) for the draw


CREDITS:

Draw stage picture: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25153780