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The upcoming World Cup is finally beginning to seem very real. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Well before the Village People performed with their classic hit, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between two greats 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 fixtures. But, even though supporters are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

After performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it finally seemed to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to 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 history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the traditional powerhouses. 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 next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

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

Few have been able to rival the 25-year-old's incredible scoring records—except for one player is scheduled to face him in the last match of the group stage. Together 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 Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see France 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 galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the finals for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around half a million, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

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

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

If all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions the Germans and the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where old rivals the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible clash. It would depend on both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.