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Next summer's global tournament is finally beginning to seem very real. While fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Long before the iconic group took to the stage with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on eager to discover their team's initial opponents. But, even though supporters are used to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous montages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour 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 glitzy event first kicked off. The selection then required almost an hour to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's tournament will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with Croatia is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, interesting matches remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League striker scored 16 times in eight matches to drag his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

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

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect goals. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on South Africa in the first game—and not for the first time. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That game, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Four new nations have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are former world champions, 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. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and the French.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible clash. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. Should Scotland progress, Japan or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.