World Cup Soccer is on DISH and sixty-four games will be played in the 2014 World Cup. Forty-eight of those will come in the group stage. While some viewers will look to catch every single minute of the tournament, many will need to pick and choose the best games. To help you decide which matches are essential viewing, here are five games that should be at the top of every fan’s schedule:

UNITED STATES VS. GHANA
Monday, June 16, 6 pm ET, ESPN

You likely know the story by now — Ghana have beaten the USMNT at the last two World Cups, and given the difficulty of Group G, the stakes of this game could hardly be higher for both countries. If the US can beat the Black Stars on the third try, it will be a huge boost for their prospects of advancing out of the group. If they can’t — well, it’s probably going to be a bumpy ride for the Yanks.

ITALY VS. URUGUAY
Tuesday, June 24, noon ET, ESPN

The first three games on this list are first group games for the respective countries. This one, in contrast, is the third Group D match for Italy and Uruguay, and chances are that at least one spot in the knockout round will be on the line. Coming into the tournament, these two countries are among those with the highest ceiling and the biggest chance to disappoint in Brazil. Which country will rise to the occasion here?

SPAIN VS. CHILE
Wednesday, June 18, 3 pm ET, ESPN

If Spain-Netherlands is the game everybody is talking about heading into the tournament, this one could very well prove most critical in the group standings. Chile are one of the dark horses of this World Cup, but they won’t be able to back up any of that attention unless they advance from the group. Can the likes of Alexis Sanchez (who of course plays in Spain) and Arturo Vidal stand toe-to-toe with the reigning world champions?

Check out all the best schedules on DISH NETWORK at SoccerTVFanatic.com with the best infographics and information for DISH Specials and World Cup TV.

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