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

Well before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between two of the world's best forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on keen to find out their team's group stage opponents. But, even though fans are used to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and entertainment, before the real selection process eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event first kicked off. The selection then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are very few matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

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

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have been able to rival the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Along with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—repeating history. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France once more face Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Four new nations have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to qualify for the finals for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and France.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential showdown. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.