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The upcoming global tournament is finally beginning to seem very real. Although supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Long before the Village People performed with their classic hit, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on keen to discover their team's initial opponents. But, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and football's governing body, plus countless montages and discussions, it finally seemed to begin almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then required almost an hour to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the largest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching group game will see France once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first time. However, awaiting them are past winners, European champions 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 multiple winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face defending champions La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the favorites progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible clash. It would depend on both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should the Scots are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could await in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.