Mbappe vs Haaland, Fantasy Fixtures and YMCA: Key Moments from the World Cup Draw

The upcoming global tournament is finally beginning to seem tangible. Although fans can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Well before the Village People performed with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a showdown between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the sport.

The Draw That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people tuned in keen to find out their national side's initial opponents. However, even though fans are used to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and performances, 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 finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened 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 with two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, compelling contests still await.

Two Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League striker scored 16 times in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed 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 The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

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. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see France again come up against Senegal, who stunned the then-world champions back in 2002. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first time. However, awaiting them are former world champions, European champions and Copa America winners.

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

Jordan, after decades of trying, will face title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

If 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 extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions Germany and the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are set for a potential showdown. It would depend on both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely first knockout game. Should the Scots progress, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could await in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.