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The upcoming World Cup is finally starting to feel tangible. Although supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People performed with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the sport.

The Draw That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on keen to discover their team's initial fixtures. But, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

Following performances by Robbie Williams 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. Or so we thought.

Cue further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then required almost an hour to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup 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 overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. 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 most difficult draw by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition next summer. The Manchester City striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against the French superstar's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a rasping second-half strike.

Another notable group game will see the French again come up against Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that opening night, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face European champions and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions Germany and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.