This is it lads. It begins. Winter might be coming in George R. R. Martin’s world, but the FIFA World Cup is already here. Whether or not Brazil is ready, the games must go on. Are you excited? I am. I still remember four years ago, the moment Spain scored that last minute goal and beat Netherlands to become the champions of the world. I was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where they were broadcasting the match live, on a closed-off street. Can they do it again? We shall see. Meanwhile, what’s more important is, are you ready for the World Cup? Not all of us can travel over to Brazil to watch it live, so we must make do with what we’ve got.

Do you know where you’re watching the matches?

Sure, you can go to your usual pub, but it just might be crowded with everyone else who had the same idea. Now if you’re the kind who thinks “the more the merrier” then it’s all good. But if you want a decent seat and a nice steady flow of beer – or even if you want to save some cash by not dishing out moolah at a bar every day – then you might want to gather at a mate’s house instead. To even the burden you can switch homes weekly or daily or whatever works. It’s always so much better to watch with your mates than alone.

Have you broken the news to your lady yet?

For the next four to six weeks your wife/girlfriend/partner is going to be seeing a lot less of you – unless she also happens to be into football (in which case, SCORE!). Be sure to clue her in on what’s happening. If she’s not into football, she might not understand what the big deal is, but not brushing her off or ignoring her might just mean a smooth, trouble free season for you. If she wants to show her support, don’t be a dick and say something like, “it’s only the lads, love!” Teach her the basics of football (before the match please), help her learn the chants, dress her for the part and tell her, “Sorry love, but no squealing!” and get her into the mood so all of you can have a good time watching the match!

Do you know the appropriate songs?

Perhaps a moot point, but just saying. You don’t want to be the only person not knowing how to sing your team’s song!

Are you dressed the part?

Come now, I’m not saying that you need to have your team’s jersey, but come on man. You need to have your team’s jersey. This is the big leagues. You not wearing your lucky scarf might just cost your team the goal it needs. Don’t be selfish now. And enjoy the World Cup 2014!