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Next summer's World Cup is at last starting to feel very real. Although supporters can finally start marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Well before the iconic group took to the stage with their classic hit, we were left analyzing a opening round that includes 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

Many people logged on eager to find out their national side's group stage fixtures. But, despite the fact fans are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

After acts by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

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

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the most significant theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

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 single-handedly carry his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have managed to come close to the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Along with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a rasping second-half strike.

Another notable fixture will see the French once more face Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Four new nations 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 feature in a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face defending champions La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites 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 extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and France.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

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