FIFA World Cup draw pits champion Spain vs. Netherlands

Defending champion Spain will play its opening 2014 World Cup game against the Netherlands, a repeat of the ill-tempered 2010 final, while host Brazil faces a relatively easy path to the knockout stage after Friday's draw in Brazil.

Argentina, champion in 1978 and 1986, first plays Bosnia-Herzegovina, the only World Cup newcomer among the 32 teams. After that game at theMaracanastadium in RiodeJaneiro, the Argentine team of four-time world player of the year LionelMessithen plays Iran and finally Nigeria. In six previous World Cup encounters, Nigeria has beaten Argentina just once.

Argentina will be heavily favoured to come out top of its Group F. If so, it could find either Switzerland or France in its way in its first knockout game. Those European nations will be hoping to come out on top of their Group E that also includes Ecuador and Honduras.

The Spain-Netherlands match is on June 13, a Friday. When they met at the 2010 final, referee Howard Webb showed a record 14 yellow cards two leading to red for the Netherlands' John Heitinga.

England's first match will be in the heat and humidity of the Amazon basin, which coach Roy Hodgson was anxious to avoid. That night game in the Amazon city of Manaus pits the 1966 champion against Italy, a four-time winner.

Both will have to play their best to advance from Group D, since it also includes 2010 semifinalist Uruguay and Costa Rica.

"It's a tough group, there's no doubt about that. In Italy and Uruguay it's almost as though we have got two number one seeds in our group. We know how good Italy are because we lost to them in the quarter-finals at the Euros. The game is going to be tough from a climate point of view for both teams," said Hodgson.

England could also face hostility from the home crowd after the city's mayor said he did not want the English in Manaus because they complained about the venue's climate.

The United States was drawn into a tough group with Germany, the winner in 1954, 1974 and 1990, as well as Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and Ghana, a quarter-finalist in 2010. The U.S. is coached by former Germany striker Jurgen Klinsmann.

Brazil starts its campaign for a sixth World Cup title with an opener against Croatia. Mexico and Cameroon are also in the group.

Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan are in Group C, with Uruguay, Costa Rica, England and Italy in a strong Group D.

One of the easiest groups on paper looked to be E, with Switzerland, Ecuador, France and Honduras.

Russia, host of the next World Cup, is in Group H with Belgium, Algeria and Korea.

Mandela honoured

A film shown at the start of the ceremony showed NelsonMandelaat the final of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and other images from the life of the anti-apartheid campaigner who died Thursday at 95. A minute's silence was then held to honour Mandela.

Some 1,300 guests filled a cavernous tent erected for the 90-minute show that wasbroadcast live to some 190 countries.