The upcoming World Cup is at last starting to feel very real. Although fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's draw in the US capital was full of major talking points.
Long before the Village People performed with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the game.
The Draw That Felt Like It May Never End
Many people tuned in keen to find out their national side's initial fixtures. However, even though supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.
Following performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus countless montages and discussions, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.
This led to more interviews and entertainment, before the actual draw 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 history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.
There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams inside the world's elite.
Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.
Two Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head
Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.
Few have been able to come close to the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Along with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.
This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring.
We Meet Again
Mexico will face South Africa 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 notable group game will see France again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.
Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers
Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and Copa America winners.
In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.
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 Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.
What About the Knockout Stage?
Assuming 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 extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions the Germans and the French.
On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where old rivals the Argentine and the Portuguese are set for a potential clash. It would require both Argentina and Portugal finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.
Regarding the Three Lions, a game against tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.
