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The upcoming World Cup is at last starting to feel tangible. Although fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's draw in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between football's top strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers logged on eager to discover their team's initial fixtures. But, despite the fact fans are used to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

Following acts by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus countless video packages and discussions, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition next summer. The Manchester City forward netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's incredible 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 paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another notable group game will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who stunned 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 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, awaiting them are past winners, 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 Germany. The island nation, with a population of around 600,000, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

If all the top teams 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 really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and the French.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. Should Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.