Next summer's global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. Although fans can finally start planning their schedules, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.
Long before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.
Numerous viewers tuned in keen to find out their team's group stage fixtures. But, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.
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 get going almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.
This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to finish.
The upcoming World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.
There are very few fixtures between the major nations. England's match with Croatia is the most significant theoretically. 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 toughest group by official standings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, compelling contests still await.
Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.
Few have managed to rival the 25-year-old's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against 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. Expect net-bulgers. Lots of goals.
El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.
Another notable group game will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, 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.
Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first time. But, awaiting them are former world champions, continental title-holders and South American champions.
In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.
The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.
If all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions the Germans and France.
On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are set for a possible clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.
For England, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely last-32 tie. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.
