Every four years,the FIFA Confederations Cup rolls around as a precursor to the World Cup,contested by the six continental champions,the host country of the upcoming World Cup(who will host this event as well),and the World Cup champion.Last time,in 2013,host nation Brazil crushed then defending World Cup champion Spain in the final to win,3-0.Brazil is the two-time defending champion,but did not qualify for this year’s event.This year,2015 CONCACAF(the North American soccer federation)Gold Cup champ Mexico qualified by defeating the USA, the 2013 champ,in a playoff,3-2 after extra time.The playoff was required as both teams had won a Gold Cup since the last Confederations Cup.Cameroon won the Africa Cup  of Nations by beating Egypt 2-1 in the final.Chile won the 2015 and 2016 Copa America editions,and avoided a playoff.Australia edged South Korea 2-1 in the Asian Cup to qualify(Australia’s dominance of Oceanian teams led to its move to the Asian confederation),Portugal won the European title by defeating host nation France 1-0 after extra time,and New Zealand won the Oceanian title to qualify.Russia automatically qualified as the host,and Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win the 2014 FIFA World Cup and qualified.And without further ado,the preview.

Group A:

🇷🇺 RUS 4-1 🇳🇿 NZL

🇵🇹 POR 0-0 🇲🇽 MEX 

🇷🇺 RUS 1-1 🇵🇹 POR

🇲🇽 MEX 5-1 🇳🇿 NZL

🇲🇽 MEX 2-2 🇷🇺 RUS 

🇳🇿 NZL 0-4 🇵🇹 POR 

Standing(3 points for win,1 for draw,0 for loss;W-L-T

1.🇲🇽 MEX:1-0-2;5 pts

2. 🇵🇹 POR:1-0-2;5 pts

3. 🇷🇺 RUS:1-0-2;5 pts

4. 🇳🇿 NZL:0-3-0;0 pts

Mexico and Portugal win goal difference tiebreak over Russia

Mexico wins goals scored tiebreak over Portugal

Mexico and Portugal advance  

Group B:

🇨🇲 CMR 0-4 🇨🇱 CHI

🇦🇺 AUS 0-6 🇩🇪 GER

🇨🇲 CMR 2-3 🇦🇺 AUS

🇩🇪 GER 2-1 🇨🇱 CHI

🇩🇪 GER 5-0 🇨🇲 CMR 

🇨🇱 CHI 5-1 🇦🇺 AUS

Standings:

1. 🇩🇪 GER:3-0-0;9 pts

2. 🇨🇱 CHI:2-1-0:6 pts

3. 🇦🇺 AUS:1-2-0:3 pts

4. 🇨🇲 CMR:0-3-0:0 pts

Germany and Chile advance 

Semifinal 1:

🇲🇽 MEX 1-2 🇨🇱 CHI 

Semifinal 2:

🇩🇪 GER 4-0 🇵🇹 POR 

Third-place match:

🇲🇽 MEX 2-3(after extra time) 🇵🇹 POR 

Final:

🇩🇪 GER 1-0(aet) 🇨🇱 CHI

Final Standings

1.🇩🇪 GER 

2.🇨🇱 CHI 

3. 🇵🇹 POR 

4. 🇲🇽 MEX

5. 🇷🇺 RUS 

6. 🇦🇺 AUS 

7. 🇨🇲 CMR 

8. 🇳🇿 NZL 

Cameroon wins goal difference tiebreak over New Zealand