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Next summer's World Cup is finally starting to feel very real. Although fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People performed with YMCA, observers were analyzing a opening round featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the game.

The Draw That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in eager to find out their team's group stage opponents. However, even though fans are used to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it eventually appeared to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The selection then required almost an hour to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by official standings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have managed to come close to the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Together with Senegal, Norway have been paired with the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and La Liga will clash 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 two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked 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

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first time. However, awaiting them are past winners, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a resident count of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, will face title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the heavyweights to collide. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and the French.

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

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.