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The upcoming global tournament is finally beginning to seem tangible. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Well before the iconic group performed with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the game.

The Draw That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in eager to find out their national side's initial fixtures. But, even though fans are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

After performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and discussions, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and entertainment, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this increase in size has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

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

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Expect net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French once more face Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first time. But, 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 multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face European champions and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, will face defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions Germany and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where old rivals 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 navigating the initial playoffs.

For England, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.