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Next summer's World Cup is finally starting to feel tangible. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were analyzing a group stage that includes a showdown between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people logged on eager to find out their team's initial fixtures. However, even though fans are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue more interviews and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to finish.

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 perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are very few matches between the major nations. England's game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by official standings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

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

Hardly any have been able 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 group games. Along with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

Mexico will take on South Africa in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first time. However, standing in their way 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 multiple winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, will face title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between past winners Germany and France.

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

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. And, if Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.