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Next summer's World Cup is finally starting to feel very real. Although fans can finally start marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in the US capital was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on eager to discover their team's initial opponents. But, even though fans are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

Following acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and discussions, it eventually appeared to get going almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

Cue further commentary and performances, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest on paper. 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 Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, interesting matches remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have been able to rival the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is set to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with the French superstar's France.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

Mexico will take on South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

Another notable group game will see the French once more face Senegal, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Four new nations have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. However, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets defending champions La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. 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 opposite half of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential clash. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

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