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Next summer's World Cup is finally beginning to seem tangible. While supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Long before the Village People performed with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a clash between football's top strikers and a knockout stage promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to find out their team's initial opponents. But, even though fans are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the largest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Generational goalgetter Norway's star 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 nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the last match of group games. Along with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Anticipate net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal.

Another notable group game will see the French once more face Senegal, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the larger World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets title-holders La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions Germany and France.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are set for a possible clash. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should the Scots progress, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.