Welcome to the Greatest Show on Earth!
Strap yourself in, make sure your schedule is clear until July 12 and get set for a fantastic fiesta of football. The 19th World Cup, being held in Africa for the first time, is upon us. And TIME will be covering every kick (penalty, free and those in open play), card (red and yellow) and the all-important goals (at both ends of the pitch) in great detail.
We have stories from South Africa as well as top 10 lists, photo galleries, videos and our blog, on which TIME's football-mad writers will be weighing in every day with their take on the unfolding action.
As always, the world's best teams and players are taking part in the Cup in hopes of getting their hands on the famous trophy and etching their names into football folklore. There will be twists and turns, and TIME will be there for every kick along the way.