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Next summer's global tournament is at last starting to feel very real. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent draw in Washington DC was full of major talking points.

Long before the Village People performed with YMCA, we were left analyzing a opening round featuring a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in keen to find out their team's group stage fixtures. But, even though supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

After performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

Cue further commentary and entertainment, before the actual draw finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this increase in size has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. 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 been able to rival the 25-year-old's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is set to face him in the last match of the group stage. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the first time in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a rasping second-half strike.

Another notable fixture will see the French again come up against Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first time. However, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and South American champions.

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

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

If all the top teams progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the heavyweights to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between former champions the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are set for a potential showdown. It would depend on both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely first knockout game. 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.