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The upcoming global tournament is at last beginning to seem very real. While supporters can finally start marking their calendars, the recent draw in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People performed with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the sport.

The Draw That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to discover their team's initial opponents. However, even though fans are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous montages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then required almost an hour to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League striker scored 16 times in eight matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have been able to come close to the youngster's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of group games. Along with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That game, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see France again come up against Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

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 South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the favorites make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the heavyweights to meet. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential clash. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely last-32 tie. And, if Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.