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Next summer's World Cup is at last starting to feel tangible. Although fans can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Long before the iconic group took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on keen to find out their team's group stage opponents. But, even though fans are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus countless video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

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

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side 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 first time in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on South Africa in the first game—and not for the first time. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, meets title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About 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 potential tie between past winners the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if Scotland progress, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.