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Next summer's global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. While fans can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was full of major talking points.

Well before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers tuned in eager to find out their national side's group stage opponents. However, even though fans are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the real selection process eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then required almost an hour to complete.

On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the largest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

Two Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League striker scored 16 times in eight matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been paired with the French superstar's France.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will clash for the first time in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will take on South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another notable fixture will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to qualify for the finals for the first occasion. However, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, will face defending champions La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

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

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible clash. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. Should Scotland progress, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.