The 2014 FIFA World Cup begins tomorrow in Brazil, when the host nation takes on Croatia in São Paulo. This is not the first time Brazil has hosted the world’s biggest sporting event, but a lot has changed since 1950. There have been many stories about the teams and the conditions leading up to the tournament, and there will only be more things to talk about between now and the Final on July 13. Here are three of the unique storylines I’ll be keeping an eye on.

Is Brazil ready to host?

There are many reports that the conditions have been less than adequate, most recently about the state of the pitch that will be used in Manaus. Manaus isn’t the only host city with stadium issues; of the 12 venues, three were not ready by FIFA’s deadline at the end of 2013. There have also been protests over the use of money in preparation for the tournament, and in March FIFA announced there will be no speeches given at the opening ceremony. With all the concern about preparations for this year’s World Cup, it’s important to remember there were major fears about South Africa hosting in 2010, such as the government relocating the homeless away from stadiums. But South Africa received a lot of praise from critics for how it staged the tournament four years ago, and Brazil has an opportunity to earn equally high marks.

How will the United States fare?

Here’s how the Americans have finished in the last six Cups (in order from 1990-2010): Group Stage, Round of 16, Group Stage, Quarterfinals, Group Stage, Round of 16. Should that trend continue, the U.S. would exit this competition in group play. However, in those six previous finishes, all the group exits were at World Cups hosted in Europe; they advanced to the knockout round in the non-European tournaments. U.S. head coach Jürgen Klinsmann has stated multiple times that he doesn’t think his squad will win the Cup in 2014, and he’s received criticism for leaving Landon Donovan off the 23-man roster. The United States has a tough draw in Group G, facing Ghana, Portugal, and Germany. How the Americans perform in their first match on Monday will go a long way in determining how long they stay in Brazil.

Will the stars shine on the big stage?

The top players who will appear at this year’s World Cup include Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney. In 2010, these three players combined for just one goal all tournament (Ronaldo vs. North Korea). Of the three, Messi advanced the furthest, as Argentina made the quarterfinals before losing to Germany. Rooney’s tournament is more remembered for his rant on English fans following the draw with Algeria, than for his actual play. This year’s World Cup will certainly give the sport’s biggest stars to add to their accomplishments, but will they take advantage of the opportunity?

When Spain won in 2010, they were largely led by David Villa, who scored five goals. When Italy won in 2006, only Marco Materazzi and Luca Toni scored more than once. The intriguing question is not just which country will win, but will they be led by a star forward or a balanced attack? Whoever wins, the next month will be full of amazing soccer action in Brazil.