Haaland vs Mbappe, Fantasy Fixtures and YMCA: Key Moments from the FIFA Draw Ceremony

The upcoming global tournament is at last beginning to seem very real. Although supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was full of major talking points.

Long before the Village People performed with YMCA, observers were analyzing a group stage featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the game.

The Draw That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people logged on eager to find out their national side's initial fixtures. But, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

Following performances by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

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

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's game against Croatia is the most significant theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the toughest group by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, compelling contests still await.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at 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.

Few have managed to rival the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—and not for the first time. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That game, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching 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 first day, a then-unknown player outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Four new nations have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first time. But, standing in their way are past winners, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

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

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. 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 opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are set for a potential showdown. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.