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Next summer's global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. Although fans can finally start planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Long before the iconic group took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers logged on keen to discover their national side's group stage fixtures. However, even though supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the real selection process finally commenced around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by official standings, while Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of group games. Along with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match—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 goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. However, awaiting them are former world champions, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a population of around 600,000, will face European champions and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets title-holders La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites progress from 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 the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up 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 tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. Should the Scots progress, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.