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The upcoming World Cup is finally beginning to seem tangible. Although supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Long before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, observers were analyzing a group stage that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers logged on keen to discover their national side's initial fixtures. However, even though supporters are used to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

After acts by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus countless montages and discussions, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with Croatia is the most significant theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

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

Few have managed to rival the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to face him in the final round of group games. Together with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the first time in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—repeating history. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another notable fixture will see the French again come up against Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

Jordan, after decades of trying, will face defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner 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 heavyweights to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential clash. It would require both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the initial playoffs.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. Should Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could await in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.