🔗 Share this article

The upcoming World Cup is finally beginning to seem very real. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in the US capital was full of major talking points.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the game.

The Draw That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people logged on keen to discover their team's initial fixtures. But, 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, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and discussions, it eventually appeared to get going almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

Cue more interviews and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are very few matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the only group fixture with two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition next summer. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to rival the youngster's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is set to face him in the final round of group games. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the first time in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the first game—repeating history. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching fixture 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 then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties 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 time. However, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions the Germans and France.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible showdown. 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 co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could await in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.