ITALY (UEFA Group 8 winner)

Population: 58 million

Capital: Rome

Team nickname: Azzuri ("The blue")

Best World Cup finish: 1st place (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)

Coach: Marcello Lippi (ITA)

Guys to watch: Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Andrea Pirlo

Why cheer for them: Always bring fabulous skills and theatre to the world stage.

Why boo them: Marco Materrazzi and "that dive."

TAB Sportsbet odds of winning it all: $13.00

PARAGUAY (CONMEBOL 3rd place)

Population: 6.9 million

Capital: Asuncion

Team nickname: Albirroja ("White and red")

Best World Cup finish: Second round (1986, 1998, 2002)

Coach: Gerardo Martino (ARG)

Guys to watch: Roque Santa Cruz, Nelson Valdez, Justo Villar

Why cheer for them: Have been South America's quiet achievers for years.

Why boo them: For not selecting 44 year old Jose Luis Chilavert.

TAB Sportsbet odds of winning it all: $67.00

NEW ZEALAND (beat Bahrain in playoff)

Population: 4.2 million

Capital: Wellington

Team nickname: All Whites

Best World Cup finish: First round (1982)

Coach: Ricki Herbert (NZL)

Guys to watch: Ryan Nelsen, Shane Smeltz, Chris Wood

Why cheer for them: They're our Antipodean neighbours.

Why boo them: They're our Antipodean neighbours.

TAB Sportsbet odds of winning it all: $751.00

SLOVAKIA (UEFA Group 3 winner)

Population: 5.5 million

Capital: Bratislava

Team nickname: Repre ("Representative Team")

Best World Cup performance: First appearance as independent nation.

Coach: Vladimir Weiss (SLK)

Guys to watch: Martin Skrtel, Stanislav Sestak, Marek Hamsik

Why cheer for them: They've done really well to qualify, especially when arch-rivals the Czech Republic failed.

Why boo them: For serving as the site for those terrible Hostel movies.

TAB Sportsbet odds of winning it all: $201.00

Group F Schedule (all times AEST)

June 15, 4:30 am: Italy v Paraguay (Cape Town)

June 15, 9:30 pm: New Zealand v Slovakia (Rustenburg)

June 20, 9:30 pm: Slovakia v Paraguay (Mangaung/Bloemfontein)

June 21, midnight: Italy v New Zealand (Nelspruit)

June 25, midnight: Slovakia v Italy (Johannesburg)

June 25, midnight: Paraguay v New Zealand (Polokwane)