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The upcoming global tournament is at last starting to feel tangible. Although supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was full of major talking points.

Well before the iconic group took to the stage with their classic hit, we were left analyzing a group stage that includes a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the sport.

The Draw That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to discover their national side's initial opponents. However, even though fans are used to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it finally seemed to begin almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of group games. Along with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been paired with 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. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another notable group game will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder 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 tournament for the first time. However, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, 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 Euro winners and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, meets title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the favorites progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and France.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and navigating the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with tournament hosts seems the most likely first knockout game. And, if Scotland progress, Japan or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.