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Next summer's World Cup is finally starting to feel tangible. Although fans can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was full 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 that includes a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers tuned in eager to find out their team's initial fixtures. However, even though supporters are used to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After performances by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous montages and discussions, it eventually appeared to begin almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

Cue more interviews and entertainment, before the real selection process eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to rival the youngster's incredible scoring records—but someone who has 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 the French superstar's France.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the first time in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

Mexico will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see France again come up against the Senegalese, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Four new nations have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. But, awaiting them are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets defending champions La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between former champions the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would depend on both Argentina and Portugal finishing top and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.