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The upcoming World Cup is at last starting to feel tangible. Although supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Long before the Village People performed with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round that includes a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in keen to find out their national side's group stage opponents. But, even though supporters are used to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and discussions, it eventually appeared to begin almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

Cue more interviews and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's World Cup will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's game against Croatia is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect goals. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French once more face Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first time. However, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and France.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are set for a possible clash. It would depend on both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.