Brazil World Cup 2014 Dates, TV Schedules And Kick Off Times: United States Group G Toughest Draw Of Tournament?

The World Cup might be months away, but it is never too early to start breaking down the many matchups presented by one of the world's most prestigious sporting events.

The World Cup draw has already taken place, and now is as good a time as any to figure out which of the eight groups will be the toughest to emerge from. Fans of soccer in the United States may have been hoping this is the year they announce their arrival as a major player in the world's game, but unfortunately for the Americans they might have gotten the most difficult draw of all.

The United States was placed in Group G, a talent packed group of four that includes Ghana along with perennial powers Portugal and Germany. The U.S. captain, Clint Dempsey, is not worried about the challenging slate.

think we have the quality, if we play our best ball, to get out of the group," Dempsey said. "You can't think about, 'Am I the favorite? Am I the underdog? What's it going to be like playing in the heat? What's it going to be like with the travel?' Those are factors that come into it, but at the end of the day both teams have to deal with it."

American fans have to love the confidence, but Germany didn't lose a single match in group C of the World Cup qualifiers, while Portugal features Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the world. Ghana has knocked the United States out of the last two World Cups.

Jozy Altidore isn't running from these teams though. Instead, he said the U.S. team has chosen to embrace the opportunity to test themselves against the best the world has to offer.

"It's definitely one of the tougher groups, if not the toughest, but at the same time, this is what the World Cup's all about. You go there to play against the best," Altidore said.

Full World Cup 2014 group stage TV schedule: Courtesy Of Mirror.co.uk

12 June

Brazil v Croatia 9pm ITV

13 June

Mexico v Cameroon 5pm ITV

Spain v Netherlands 8pm BBC

Chile v Australia 11pm ITV

14 June

Columbia v Greece 5pm BBC

Uruguay v Costa Rica 8pm ITV

England v Italy 11pm BBC

Ivory Coast v Japan 2am ITV

15 June

Switzerland v Ecuador 5pm ITV

France v Honduras 8pm BBC

Argentina v Bosnia 11pm BBC

16 June

Germany v Portugal 5pm ITV

Iran v Nigeria 8pm BBC

Ghana v USA 11pm BBC

17 June

Brazil v Mexico 8pm BBC

Belgium v Algeria 5pm ITV

Russia v South Korea 11pm BBC

18 June

Cameroon v Croatia 11pm ITV

Australia v Holland 5pm ITV

Spain v Chile 8pm BBC

19 June

Columbia v Ivory Coast 5pm BBC

Japan v Greece 11pm BBC

England v Uruguay 8pm ITV

20 June

France v Switzerland 8pm ITV

Italy v Costa Rica 5pm BBC

Honduras v Ecuador 11pm ITV

21 June

Germany v Ghana 8pm BBC

Argentina v Iran 5pm ITV

Nigeria v Bosnia 11pm BBC

22 June

Belgium v Russia 5pm BBC

USA v Portugal 11pm BBC

South Korea v Algeria 8pm ITV

23 June

Cameroon v Brazil 9pm ITV

Croatia v Mexico 9pm ITV

Australia v Spain 5pm ITV

Holland v Chile 5pm ITV

24 June

Japan v Columbia 9pm BBC

Greece v Ivory Coast 9pm BBC

England v Costa Rica 5pm ITV

25 June

Ecuador v France 9pm BBC

Honduras v Switzerland 9pm BBC

Nigeria v Argentina 5pm ITV

Bosnia v Iran 5pm ITV

26 June

South Korea v Belgium 9pm ITV

Algeria v Russia 9pm ITV

USA V Germany 5pm BBC

Portugal v Ghana 5pm BBC