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Next summer's global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. While fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers logged on eager to discover their team's group stage fixtures. However, even though fans are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue more interviews and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's game against 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.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by official standings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, compelling contests remain.

Two 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 forward netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's incredible goalscoring feats—except for one player is set to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Four new nations have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are past winners, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a resident count of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions 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 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

If all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would depend on both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. Should the Scots progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.