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Next summer's global tournament is finally starting to feel very real. Although fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between football's top strikers and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to find out their team's initial opponents. However, despite the fact fans are used to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

After performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus countless video packages and discussions, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then required almost an hour to complete.

On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's tournament will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

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

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City forward scored 16 times in eight matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the youngster's incredible scoring records—except for one player is scheduled to face him in the last match of the group stage. Along with Senegal, Norway have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in international football. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will take on South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

Another notable group game will see France once more face 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.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to qualify for the finals for the first time. But, awaiting them are former world champions, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face European champions and former champions Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, will face defending champions La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where old rivals the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and navigating the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.