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Next summer's World Cup is finally beginning to seem tangible. Although supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was not short 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 that includes a showdown between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to discover their team's group stage opponents. But, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to more interviews and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show first kicked off. The selection then required almost an hour to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's tournament will be the biggest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. 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, compelling contests still await.

Two Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—except for one player is set to come up against him in the last match of group games. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the first time in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching group game will see France again come up against Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the finals for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are past winners, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites progress from 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 the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where old rivals the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential showdown. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. Should Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.