Mbappe vs Haaland, Dream Match-ups and The Village People: Key Moments from the FIFA Draw Ceremony

The upcoming global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. While fans can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were analyzing a group stage that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers tuned in eager to discover their national side's initial opponents. However, even though fans are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue further commentary and performances, before the real selection process eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's tournament will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the most significant on paper. That is the only group fixture with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition next summer. The Manchester City forward scored 16 times in eight matches to drag his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the final round 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 go head-to-head for the initial occasion in international football. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also opened the tournament in South Africa. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners 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 led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the top teams progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.