BONN -- Finally, the finals.
After 847 qualifying matches involving nearly 200 teams, the World Cup finals begin at 6 p.m. in Munich on June 9 when host Germany and Costa Rica contest their opening Group A game.
The feast of football will be spread over 31 days, featuring 32 teams playing 64 matches in 12 stadiums in 12 cities, with ultimately one team lifting the coveted 18-carat gold FIFA World Cup trophy.