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The upcoming global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. While fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People performed with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between two greats of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to find out their team's group stage opponents. However, even though fans are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to more interviews and entertainment, before the real selection process 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 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 group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League striker netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to rival the youngster's incredible scoring records—except for one player is set to face him in the final round of the group stage. Along with Senegal, Norway have been paired with the French superstar's France.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also opened the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French again come up against Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, awaiting them are former world champions, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, will face title-holders La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between past winners the Germans and France.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely first knockout game. And, if the Scots progress, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.