In Group E, the Americans will debut against the Czech Republic on June 12 in Gelsenkirchen, then play seeded Italy on June 17 in Kaiserslautern and Ghana on June 22 in Nuremberg. The United States is 0-3-2 against Italy (0-2 in World Cup play) and never has played either the Czech Republic or Ghana. (Their 5-1 loss to Czechoslovakia in the '90 World Cup was the Americans' only meeting with that former nation.)

Though this will be the first World Cup appearance for the Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia played in eight Cup tournaments, including runner-up finishes in 1938 and 1962. Italy hasn't missed a World Cup since refusing to attend the inaugural event in 1930 and has won the title three times, most recently in 1982, and been runner-up twice. Ghana is making its tournament debut.

Tournament organizing chief Franz Beckenbauer, who won World Cup titles as both a player and coach for the former West Germany and who played for the Cosmos in the old North American Soccer League, judged Group C - Argentina, Serbia & Montenegro, the Netherlands and Ivory Coast - as the most competitive, with Group A - Germany, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Poland - almost as tough.