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The upcoming global tournament is at last beginning to seem very real. While fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was full of major talking points.

Long before the iconic group performed with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on eager to discover their team's group stage fixtures. But, even though supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then required almost an hour to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's World Cup will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, interesting matches remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

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

Few have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against the French superstar'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

El Tri will take on South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another notable group game will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions 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.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

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

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, meets title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to collide. The round of 32 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 fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are set for a potential showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable first knockout game. And, if Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.