<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Soccer is the world&amp;#039;s most popular sport. Sure, across the U.S., it still doesn&amp;#039;t get the same attention that the heavyweights like football or baseball do, but it should\u2014and a slew of fit-male-athlete prowess isn&amp;#039;t the only reason. Starting tomorrow, June 11th, when the World Cup kicks off at 2PM with Johannesburg vs. Mexico, the long-awaited tournament will be jam-packed with exitement and, not to mention, culture. Here, five more reasons why this year&amp;#039;s tourney is definitely worth watching (read: America&amp;#039;s the only country still not totally in the game, so let&amp;#039;s get on it). 1. Commercial-free drama. Between the epic rivalries, walk-off goals and overacted injuries, excitement levels soar throughout the month-long competition. And if the action on the field isn&amp;#039;t enough to get you excited, consider the 300 million rip-roaring, body-painted fans.  2. We&amp;#039;ve finally got a shot. It&amp;#039;s always fun to root for the underdog, especially when they represent your country. Led by one of the best goalies in the world, Tim Howard, and the U.S. leader in goals and assists, Landon Donovan, the U.S.\u2014though historically World Cup title-less\u2014is scheduled to make a deep run this year. England will be their first match-up on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. E.T..  3. Shirtless men. OK, OK. We&amp;#039;d be lying if we said we plan to tune in just for the love of the game\u2014and you would be, too. The World Cup is undoubtedly a 30-day-unlimited pass for ogling some of the fittest\u2014and sexiest\u2014athletes on the planet. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy), Ricardo Kaka (Brazil) and Donovan are just a few to look out for.  4. It&amp;#039;s a great escape. Even if you can&amp;#039;t see the action live, HD is sure to get you close. Plus, South Africa is six hours ahead of the Eastern time zone, making midday matches the perfect opportunity for an extended lunch break.  5. It&amp;#039;s inspiring (and educational)\u2014especially for kids. Soccer is the fastest-growing team sports in the US. And of the 18 million Americans who play soccer, 80 percent are under the age of 18. Inspire your kids towards greatness\u2014on or off the pitch.  Download the official World Cup schedule here, courtesy of Fifa.com.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/life/entertainment/news/a48355/5-reasons-to-watch-the-world-cup-2690/>