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The upcoming global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. While fans can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's draw in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on eager to discover their national side's group stage opponents. But, even though supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus countless video packages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the real selection process eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event first kicked off. The draw itself then required almost an hour to finish.

On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest on paper. That is the only group fixture with two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his major international competition next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to single-handedly carry his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of group games. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will clash for the first time in on the global stage. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French once more face Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first occasion. However, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if Scotland progress, Japan or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.