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The upcoming World Cup is at last beginning to seem tangible. Although supporters can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was full of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, we were left analyzing a opening round that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on keen to discover their team's initial opponents. But, even though supporters are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a record 48 teams and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this increase in size has perhaps led to the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the only group fixture with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition next summer. The Premier League striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is set to face him in the last match of the group stage. Together with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

Mexico will take on South Africa 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 notable group game will see France again come up against Senegal, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the tournament 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 four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face title-holders Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely last-32 tie. And, if Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.