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The upcoming global tournament is finally beginning to seem very real. Although supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's draw in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Well before the iconic group took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people tuned in eager to find out their team's initial fixtures. However, despite the fact fans are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

Following acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous montages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the real selection process finally commenced around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by official standings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, compelling contests still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the youngster's incredible scoring records—except for one player is set to face him in the last match of the group stage. Along with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been paired with the French superstar's France.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the first time in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. 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 tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another notable group game will see France again come up against Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Four new nations have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a resident count of around half a million, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, will face title-holders La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the favorites progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between past winners the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are set for a possible clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against tournament hosts 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.