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Next summer's global tournament is finally beginning to seem tangible. While supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's draw in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group took to the stage with YMCA, observers were analyzing a opening round that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in keen to discover their team's initial opponents. However, even though supporters are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

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

Cue more interviews and performances, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this increase in size has perhaps led to the initial phase being somewhat weakened 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 theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to the youngster's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is set to face him in the final round of group games. Along with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Expect goals. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on South Africa in the opening match—and not for the first time. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching group game will see France once more face Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach 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, Curacao, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face title-holders Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are set for a potential clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely first knockout game. Should Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.