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Next summer's World Cup is finally beginning to seem very real. While supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's draw in the US capital was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between football's top strikers and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on eager to discover their national side's group stage fixtures. However, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

After acts by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and discussions, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue further commentary and performances, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this increase in size has perhaps led to the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against 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 on the global stage. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

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

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first time. However, awaiting them are past winners, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, will face title-holders La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

If all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. 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 bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are set for a potential showdown. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable first knockout game. Should the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.