🔗 Share this article

Next summer's World Cup is at last starting to feel very real. Although fans can finally start planning their schedules, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People performed with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a clash between football's top strikers and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people logged on eager to find out their team's initial opponents. However, despite the fact fans are used to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then required almost an hour 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 first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to rival the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of group games. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will clash for the first time in on the global stage. Expect net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also opened the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France again come up against Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars 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 finals for the first occasion. But, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the favorites progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between past winners Germany and the French.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where old rivals the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential clash. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and navigating the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. And, if the Scots progress, Japan or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.