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Next summer's global tournament is finally beginning to seem tangible. Although supporters can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's draw in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People performed with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on eager to discover their team's initial fixtures. But, even though supporters are used to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and discussions, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then required almost an hour to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will get a crack at his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to single-handedly carry his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to 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 the French superstar's France.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the first time in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will face Bafana Bafana in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another notable group game will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. But, awaiting them are former world champions, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets defending champions La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible showdown. It would depend on both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.