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Next summer's World Cup is at last beginning to seem tangible. Although fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's draw in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers tuned in eager to discover their team's group stage opponents. But, despite the fact fans are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

After acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue further commentary and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the glitzy event first kicked off. The selection then required almost an hour to finish.

On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, compelling contests remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have been able to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is scheduled to face him in the final round of group games. Along with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another notable fixture will see France once more face the Senegalese, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. But, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around 600,000, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, will face title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions Germany and the French.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible clash. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. And, if Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.