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

The upcoming global tournament is at last starting to feel very real. While fans can finally start marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in the US capital was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people logged on keen to find out their national side's group stage opponents. However, even though supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After acts by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it finally seemed to begin 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 first kicked off. The selection then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has perhaps led to the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are very few matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the toughest group by official standings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City forward scored 16 times in eight matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have been able to come close to the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the final round of group games. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

Another notable fixture will see France again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that opening night, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first time. But, 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 meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners the Germans and France.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are set for a possible showdown. It would require both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely first knockout game. Should the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.