Four years since their infamous player mutiny at the last World Cup, France look poised to make a more positive impact on this tournament as they swept aside Switzerland 5-2 yesterday.

The astonishing match between Costa Rica and Italy marks the halfway point of the group stage and seems an opportune time to reflect on the FIFA World Cup.

When Luis Suarez scored the second goal for Uruguay to win 2-1 over England at the Fifa World Cup yesterday, the biggest sigh of relief may have come from a New Zealand punter.

When the team-sheets were delivered, England will have quickly scanned them for the inevitable confirmation: of course Luis Suarez was playing.

A New Zealand high school teacher is set to take to the world sporting stage tomorrow as a referee at the Fifa World Cup.

There is nothing like the sight of a man, mere seconds ago a formidable athlete, now rolling around on the ground in agony because someone touched his shirt to tell you that the football/soccer World Cup is upon us.

Steven Holloway looks at what we have learned after week one of the tournament, from which player is the best to watch to who should win it all.

A Luis Suarez double has put England on the verge of an early World Cup exit, following a 2-1 defeat to Uruguay in Sao Paulo this morning.

The nation that has won five World Cups, that produced Pele, Romario and Ronaldo, is now wondering whether to play Fred or Jo in attack against Cameroon on Tuesday.

Heartbroken but intensely proud, Ange Postecoglou says his Socceroos have set a benchmark that can help them become a feared attacking force in world football.

The secret is out. Just like the Emperor's new clothes, the Brazil team of 2014 are not what we have been led to believe.

Born to run, Raheem Sterling also spent some of his formative years cycling around the old car park at Wembley as England's home was being reconstructed.

It's the highlight of any footballer's career - performing for their country in front of a global television audience of billions at the World Cup finals.

1. There are more teams with World Cup experience

Michael Burgess on the five things we learned following the latest action from the World Cup in Brazil.

An Auckland woman - who's not a football fan - is one of six Kiwis still in the running for a $5m prize offered by the TAB this World Cup.

It took Lionel Messi just over an hour in Argentina's World Cup opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina to show why so many fans consider him the best in the world.

The last time the World Cup came to Brazil in 1950, some 200,000 people are estimated to have piled in to the Estadio Maracana, to see the hosts shocked by rivals Uruguay.