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Next summer's global tournament is finally starting to feel very real. Although supporters can finally start planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on eager to discover their national side's initial opponents. But, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

Following performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from dignitaries 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 real selection process eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then required almost an hour to finish.

On to the Football Itself...

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 expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions 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. But, interesting matches still await.

Two Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will make his debut in 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.

Hardly any have been able to come close to the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to face him in the final round of group games. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the first time in international football. Expect 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, which finished 1-1, is most famous 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 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first time. However, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, 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 La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the top teams progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the heavyweights to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between past winners the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal 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 the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.