Haaland vs Mbappe, Fantasy Fixtures and The Village People: Key Moments from the World Cup Draw

The upcoming global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. While fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in the US capital was full of significant headlines.

Well before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, we were left analyzing a opening round featuring a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on keen to discover their team's group stage fixtures. However, despite the fact fans are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

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

This led to more interviews and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

Two Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the last match of group games. Together with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Expect goals. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the finals for the first occasion. But, standing in their way 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 multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between past winners the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible clash. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.