Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup is set to begin in Brazil in 967 days (so close you can smell it!), but the detailed match schedule has yet to be decided. That won't be the case on Thursday, when the FIFA Executive Committee will approve the tournament's match schedule and announce it at a press conference at 11:50 am ET, 5:50 pm CET. The schedule will detail which cities and venues will host matches and which matches they will host. It will also detail how many matches will be played each day and what times the matches will take place.
Usually, the schedule doesn't matter much. There are three matches per day for the first two rounds of group stage play then four matches each day for the final round. The knockout stages have two matches per day, then one. It is all pretty standard, but the schedule for 2014 matters a little more than usual.
That is because Brazil is such a large country and many are curious as to how the schedule will be arranged to minimize travel for teams. There has been no indication yet how that will be done so we have to wait until the schedule is released on Thursday to see if teams are scheduled to play their matches in cities close to each other or if FIFA will demand that the teams make several hours long flights to get from city to city for matches.
Sponsors will be keeping their eye on what time the matches start. Because it is a global event, it is impossible to play matches at times that will suit people in all time zones. Usually, the times are set to appease Europe as much as possible, but Asia is a massive market and the Americas hold their own weight, especially the USA, which pays more money in television rights fees for the tournament than any other country.
In the meeting that will see the World Cup schedule approved, FIFA's Executive Committee will also approve the schedule for the 2013 Confederations Cup to be hosted by Brazil.
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