Brazil and France are among the nine teams guaranteed to come to Philadelphia for World Cup group stage games next summer, revealed by FIFA on Saturday.
Teams were drawn into the 12 four-team groups on Friday at the official draw ceremony. Saturday’s announcement matched the games and groups to kickoff times and locations.
Brazil and France are among the highest-ranked teams that will play in Philadelphia during the tournament. The city missed out on two chances for Germany to play here in Group E, though it could land here in the Round of 16.
The confirmed Philadelphia games:
June 14: Ivory Coast-Ecuador, 7 p.m. (Match 9, Group E)
June 19: Brazil-Haiti, 9 p.m. (Match 29, Group C)
June 22: France vs. Bolivia/Suriname/Iraq, 4 (Match 42, Group I)
June 25: Curacao-Ivory Coast, 4 p.m. (Match 55, Group E)
June 27: Croatia-Ghana, 5 (Match 68, Group L)
July 4: Round of 16, Match 89, 5 between the winner of a Round of 32 game featuring the winner of Group E/and a third-place team against the Winner of Group I and a third-place team
Nine teams are confirmed. France awaits an inter-confederation playoff winner. In Mexico in March, Bolivia plays Suriname, then the winner takes on Iraq for the right to advance to the World Cup finals.
The Round of 16 game on July 4 will kick off at 5 p.m. If the seeds hold, it could bring the winners of Group I and Group E, with France and Germany favored.
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