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The upcoming global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. Although supporters can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was full of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, we were left 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 encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in eager to find out their team's group stage opponents. However, even though supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the real selection process eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then required almost an hour to complete.

On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, compelling contests still await.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to rival the youngster's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Along with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against the French superstar's France.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face South Africa in the first game—and not for the first time. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That match, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France once more face Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

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

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions Germany 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 potential showdown. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should the Scots progress, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.