🔗 Share this article Mbappe vs Haaland, Fantasy Fixtures and YMCA: The Highlights from the FIFA Draw Ceremony Next summer's World Cup is finally starting to feel tangible. While supporters can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's draw in the US capital was not short of significant headlines. Well before the Village People performed with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the game. The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever Many people logged on eager to find out their team's group stage opponents. However, even though fans are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this one set a new standard. After acts by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion. Cue further commentary and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the glitzy event first kicked off. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete. On to the Actual Football... The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in quality. There are hardly any matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams inside the world's elite. Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by official standings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, compelling contests still await. A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in eight matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998. Hardly any have managed to rival the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to face him in the final round of the group stage. Together with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus. This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will clash for the first time in international football. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring. We Meet Again El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal. Another notable fixture will see France once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal. Dream Ties for the Debutants Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first time. But, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and South American champions. In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain. The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, meets defending champions La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas. What About the Playoff Rounds? Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. The last 16 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 draw, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible showdown. It would require both Argentina and Portugal finishing top and squeezing through the early knockout rounds. Regarding the Three Lions, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if Scotland progress, Japan or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.