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The upcoming global tournament is at last beginning to seem tangible. While fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were analyzing a opening round featuring a clash between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in keen to find out their national side's initial fixtures. But, even though supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus countless montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue more interviews and entertainment, before the actual draw finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to finish.

On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's game against Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in eight matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to rival the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is set to come up against him in the last match of group games. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Expect goals. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on South Africa in the first game—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

Another notable fixture will see the French again come up against Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first time. However, standing in their way are past winners, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

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

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights 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 the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential clash. It would require both Argentina and Portugal finishing top and navigating the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.