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Next summer's World Cup is at last beginning to seem tangible. While supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were analyzing a group stage that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on eager to find out their team's group stage fixtures. But, even though supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

After performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

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

On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup 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 maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will make his debut in his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City striker scored 16 times in eight matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to rival the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—except for one player is set to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Along with Senegal, Norway have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will face South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal.

Another notable group game will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who stunned the then-world champions back in 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

If all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. 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 draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are set for a potential showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. And, if the Scots progress, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.