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Next summer's World Cup is at last starting to feel very real. Although supporters can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people logged on eager to discover their national side's group stage fixtures. However, despite the fact supporters are used to such ceremonies 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 montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this increase in size has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. England's 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.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, compelling contests still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his major international competition next summer. The Premier League striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to come close to the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—except for one player is set to face 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 Premier League and Spain's division will clash for the first time in international football. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri 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 match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. But, awaiting them are past winners, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation 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, will face title-holders Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

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 last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where old rivals the Argentine and Ronaldo are set for a potential showdown. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. Should the Scots progress, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.