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The upcoming global tournament is at last starting to feel tangible. Although supporters can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was full of major talking points.

Long before the iconic group took to the stage with their classic hit, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a showdown between football's top strikers and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people tuned in keen to find out their national side's initial opponents. However, despite the fact fans are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

After acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving 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 group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of group games. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the first time in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

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

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

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 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years 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 Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the heavyweights to collide. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between past winners the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are set for a potential clash. It would depend on both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.

For England, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could await in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.