Confed Cup Kickoff

After years of planning and with the eyes of international football focused on South Africa, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup officially gets underway this afternoon at 4 p.m. local time when the hosts take on Iraq at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The headlines splashed across the papers this morning are equal parts excitement and concern for the prospects of the Bafana Bafana, who failed to qualify for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.

In the late game, Spain takes on New Zealand at 8:30 p.m. local time at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, site of the USA's third group match on June 21 against Egypt.

All 16 matches of the FIFA Confederations Cup will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN2 in High Definition, as well as the Univision Networks.