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The upcoming global tournament is at last starting to feel tangible. While fans can finally start planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in the US capital was full of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People performed with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a showdown between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on keen to discover their national side's initial opponents. But, even though fans are used to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the actual draw eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then required almost an hour to complete.

On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City forward 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 25-year-old's incredible goalscoring feats—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of group games. Along with The Lions of Teranga, Norway 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 on the global stage. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French once more face Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names 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 time. But, awaiting them are former world champions, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the top teams make it safely through 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 former champions the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are set for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. Should Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.