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Next summer's World Cup is finally starting to feel tangible. Although fans can finally start planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in the US capital was full of major talking points.

Well before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, we were left analyzing a opening round featuring a clash between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket promising a truly mouthwatering meeting between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people logged on eager to discover their national side's group stage opponents. But, even though supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus countless montages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event first kicked off. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to come close to the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is set to face him in the final round of group games. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will face South Africa in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see France again come up against Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face defending champions La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan 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 make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait 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 draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should the Scots progress, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.