With the FIFA World Cup — hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico — starting on June 11, The Hindu begins its Countdown, analysing the 48 teams in the fray.Group A (Mexico, South Korea, Czechia and South Africa)The majestic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, where more than 114,000 people watched Diego Maradona’s Argentina beat West Germany in a five-goal thriller to lift the World Cup in 1986, will host the opening match on June 11. The pressure will be on the co-host when it takes on South Africa, which itself memorably conducted the 2010 edition.Sport’s biggest show is returning to Mexico after 40 years. The Mexicans had reached the quarterfinals in 1986, as they had 16 years earlier, when they first hosted the World Cup. They should be hoping they would do it again on home soil. Mexico has played every World Cup since 1994 and is the highest-ranked team in the group, at No. 15 (as of April 1).Mexico starts very much the favourite to top the pool. It boasts stars such as Santiago Gimenez, Raul Jimenez, Edson Alvarez and Guillermo Ochoa, who will be appearing in his sixth World Cup. Also watch out for the 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the youngest in the tournament.South Korea is the team most likely, after Mexico, to advance from the group. A regular since 1986, the Asian giant is ranked 25th in the world. The Koreans have come with an unbeaten record in the qualifiers, spanning over 16 games. For inspiration, they could look to captain Son Heung-min, who is poised to become their all-time leading scorer at the World Cup.Unlike South Korea or Mexico, Czechia is no regular at the World Cup. This is only its second World Cup. With talented performers like Patrik Schick, Pavel Sulc and Tomas Holes, the Czechs are capable of surprises.South Africa is ranked 60th, the lowest in the group. It will require something extraordinary, from the likes of Teboho Mokoena and Lyle Foster, to upset the fancied opponents.Best finish: Mexico: Quarterfinals (1970, 1986); South Korea: Semifinal (2002); Czechia: Group stage (2006); South Africa: Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010).Group B (Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Qatar)Switzerland reached the knockout stage at the last three World Cups. It will be a huge shock if the Swiss don’t make it four in a row. They are placed 19th in global rankings and start the clear favourite to top the group that features no big teams. There are big stars, though. Switzerland’s captain Granit Xhaka, for instance. The Sunderland skipper is the most capped player for his country and he is still the man his team looks up to. And there is class up front in the form of Breel Embolo, Dan Ndoye and Noah Okafor.