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The upcoming World Cup is finally starting to feel very real. While supporters can finally start marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Well before the iconic group took to the stage with their classic hit, we were left analyzing a group stage that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in keen to discover their national side's group stage fixtures. However, even though fans are used to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After acts by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process finally commenced 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 Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to 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 sole opening-round game featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition next summer. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in eight matches to single-handedly carry his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to rival the youngster's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

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 tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a rasping second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

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

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face title-holders La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon'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 collide. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners the Germans and the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential clash. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable first knockout game. Should the Scots progress, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.