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Next summer's global tournament is finally beginning to seem tangible. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Well before the iconic group performed with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round that includes a showdown between football's top strikers and a knockout stage promising a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers logged on keen to find out their national side's group stage opponents. But, despite the fact fans are used to such ceremonies taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and football's governing body, plus countless montages and discussions, it finally seemed to begin almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

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

On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with Croatia is the most significant theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

Two Prolific Scorers Face Off

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his major international competition next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is scheduled to face him in the last match of the group stage. Together with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will clash for the first time in on the global stage. Expect net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face South Africa in the first game—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another notable group game will see the French again come up against Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders 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 Germany. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the favorites make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to meet. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between past winners Germany and the French.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side finishing top and navigating the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should Scotland progress, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.