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Next summer's global tournament is finally beginning to seem very real. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's draw in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group performed with YMCA, observers were analyzing a opening round featuring a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a knockout stage promising a truly mouthwatering meeting between two greats of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers tuned in eager to discover their national side's initial opponents. But, despite the fact fans are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After acts by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue further commentary and performances, before the actual draw eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams 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 matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to face him in the last match of group games. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France once more face Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

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

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around half a million, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions the Germans and the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are set for a possible clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and navigating the initial playoffs.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable first knockout game. Should the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.