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The upcoming global tournament is at last beginning to seem very real. Although supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Well before the iconic group took to the stage with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a showdown between football's top strikers and a playoff bracket promising a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people logged on keen to discover their national side's group stage opponents. But, even though fans are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue more interviews and performances, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

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 sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition next summer. The Manchester City striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have been able to rival the 25-year-old's incredible goalscoring feats—except for one player is set to come up against him in the final round of group games. Along with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in international football. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another notable fixture will see France again come up against Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. 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

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

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, will face defending champions La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and France.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.