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The upcoming global tournament is finally beginning to seem very real. Although supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Well before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, observers were analyzing a opening round featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the sport.

The Draw That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in keen to find out their team's group stage fixtures. But, despite the fact fans are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

After acts by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's tournament will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, compelling contests still await.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to rival the 25-year-old's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Along with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France again come up against Senegal, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Four new nations have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are past winners, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, will face title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between past winners the Germans and the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the initial playoffs.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.