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The upcoming World Cup is at last starting to feel tangible. Although supporters can finally start planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on keen to find out their team's initial fixtures. However, despite the fact fans are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this one set a new standard.

Following acts by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue more interviews and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the initial phase being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. England's game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest on paper. That is the only group fixture with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Premier League striker netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—except for one player is set to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been drawn against the French superstar's France.

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

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off 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 again come up against the Senegalese, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. However, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided 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 big hitters to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, 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 the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. Should the Scots progress, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.