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Vive la France!
Here's our best, soccer-ball-gazing guess as to how the Cup will go: With Youri Djorkaeff up front the crowds behind them, the French will become the first hosts to win since the Argentines in 1978.
by Grant Wahl
Posted: Tues June 9th
 In the first round, teams play one game against each of the others in their group. Team get three points for a win, one for a draw.
The winner and runner-up in each group advance to the second round. The remainder of the tournament is single elimination.
FIRST ROUND (June 10-26)
Group A (Brazil, Morocco, Norway, Scotland)
Winner: Brazil | Runner-up: Norway
Group B (Austria, Cameroon, Chile, Italy)
Winner: Chile | Runner-up: Italy
Group C (Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa)
Winner: France | Runner-up: Saudi Arabia
Group D (Bulgaria, Nigeria, Paraguay, Spain)
Winner: Spain | Runner-up: Nigeria
Group E (Belgium, Mexico, The Netherlands, South Korea)
Winner: The Netherlands | Runner-up: Belgium
Group F (Germany, Iran, U.S., Yugoslavia)
Winner: Germany | Runner-up: Yugoslavia
Group G (Colombia, England, Romania, Tunisia)
Winner: Romania | Runner-up: England
Group H: (Argentina, Croatia, Jamaica, Japan)
Winner: Argentina | Runner-up: Croatia
SECOND ROUND (June 27-30)
Single elimination
Chile (Winner B) d. Norway (Runner-up A)
France (Winner C) d. Nigeria (Runner-up D)
Brazil (Winner A) d. Italy (Runner-up B)
Spain (Winner D) d. Saudi Arabia (Runner-up C)
Yugoslavia (Runner-up F) d. The Netherlands (Winner E)
Argentina (Winner H) d.England (Runner-up G)
Germany (Winner F) d. Belgium (Runner-up E)
Croatia (Runner-up H) d. Romania (Winner G)
QUARTERFINALS (July 3-4)
France d. Chile
Germany d. Croatia
Brazil d. Spain
Argentina d. Yugoslavia
SEMIFINALS (July 7-8)
France d. Germany
Argentina d. Brazil
THIRD-PLACE FINISHER (July 11)
Germany d. Brazil
FINALS (July 12)
France 2, Argentina 1
Issue date: June 15, 1998
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