🔗 Share this article

The upcoming global tournament is finally starting to feel very real. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People performed with their classic hit, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a clash between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the sport.

The Draw That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to discover their team's group stage opponents. But, even though supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After performances by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and discussions, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue further commentary and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the initial phase being slightly diluted in overall strength.

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

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, interesting matches remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the youngster's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Along with Senegal, Norway have been paired with the French superstar's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

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

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Four new nations have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, 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 multiple winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the heavyweights to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between former champions the Germans and the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and navigating the initial playoffs.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely first knockout game. Should Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.