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Next summer's global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. Although fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were analyzing a group stage featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in keen to find out their team's group stage opponents. But, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the glitzy event first kicked off. The draw itself then required almost an hour to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this increase in size has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will get a crack at his major international competition next summer. The Manchester City striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen 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.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the 2010 edition. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see France again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are past winners, 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 Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners the Germans and France.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible showdown. It would depend on both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.

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