FIFA World Cup

OK, I know you probably don't pay attention to soccer. I was the same way until I actually played the game (FIFA 09 for the xbox 360 to be exact). But out of respect for the most popular sport in the world, I was to inform you, the uninterested american, about the 2010 FIFA world cup. To begin at the top, the FIFA World Cup will be taking place in South Africa one June 11, 2010 till July 11, 2010. There will be a total of 32 teams competeing for the title. Just as a quick history lesson, Italy won last world cup tourny in 2006 and Brazil has won nine times since the World Cup tourny was created (most times won of course). I Digress, the 32 teams that qualify aren't simply put into a bracket type of tournament. The 32 teams will be randomly put into 8 groups of 4. Each team will play each Country in their group once. After each team plays each other in their group, the top two teams will be put in a bracket of 16 (A win means that team recieves 3 points, if two teams tie, they each get 1 point, and obviously if a country looses, no points are awarded. So if a country wins 2 times and ties once, that country will have a total of seven points.) The bracket of the sixteen teams aren't randomized though. The winner of one group will play the runner up of another group. For example, the winner of group A will play the runner up of group B. If two teams tie while in the sixteen bracket stage, there will be a penalty shoot out. A penalty shoot out is basically the best out of seven. It's kind of difficult to explain, so I'll move on. As of today, 23 teams have qualified so far (United States being one of them). The favorites to win the tournament are Brazil, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, and Germany. The United States, though, is ranked eleventh in the world so I have high hopes for them. I know I threw a lot at you, but I hope when summer comes around, you'll know what is going on in terms of the FIFA World Cup.