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The upcoming global tournament is at last beginning to seem very real. Although supporters can finally start marking their calendars, the recent draw in the US capital was full of major talking points.

Well before the Village People performed with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between football's top strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on keen to discover their team's group stage fixtures. However, even though supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus countless montages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the real selection process eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's tournament 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 maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have managed to rival the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—except for one player is set to face him in the final round of the group stage. Along with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the first time in international football. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the larger World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first time. But, standing in their way are past winners, European champions and Copa America winners.

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 resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and France.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and navigating the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.