Ellington

It's finally here; the 2014 World Cup begins this week in Brazil as 32 countries battle for soccer's top prize and a place in soccer immortality.

Thursday, June 12

NBA (8-11 p.m., ABC) Game four of the NBA Finals as the Miami Heat host the San Antonio Spurs in a battle of evenly matched teams. ... Soccer (3-6 p.m., ESPN) Host nation and one of the favorites, Brazil, faces Croatia to kick off the World Cup.

Friday, June 13

Soccer (11 a.m.-2 p.m., ESPN2) Mexico begins its World Cup campaign against Cameroon. ... Soccer (2-5p.m., ESPN) Two soccer heavyweights clash as Spain faces The Netherlands in the highly anticipated opening game of group play.

Saturday, June 14

Soccer (11 a.m.-5 p.m., ABC) A doubleheader with Colombia versus Greece kicks things off, followed by Uruguay against Costa Rica. ... Soccer (5-11 p.m., ESPN) Another doubleheader features England against Italy, and the night ends with the Ivory Coast against Japan.

Sunday, June 15

Soccer (2-5 p.m., ABC) France tries to erase the ghosts of its last World Cup squad against Honduras. ... NBA (7-10 p.m., ABC) The NBA Finals reaches game five between the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.

Monday, June 16

Soccer (11 a.m.-8 p.m., ESPN) A tripleheader starts off with soccer giants Germany against Portugal, followed by Iran against Nigeria and ends with a must-win game for the USA against Ghana.

Tuesday, June 17

NBA (8-11 p.m., ABC) The NBA Finals could follow last year's ending if it reaches game six between the Spurs and Heat. ... Soccer (5-8 p.m., ESPN) An interesting matchup features Russia against South Korea at the end of a tripleheader on ESPN.

Wednesday, June 18

Soccer (2-5 p.m., ESPN) In what should be the best game of the day, Spain faces Chile in the middle of a tripleheader of World Cup action.

Expect plenty of World Cup action in Slate over the next few weeks. The World Cup helps pass the summer as we all await the return of football.