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The upcoming World Cup is finally beginning to seem very real. While supporters can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Long before the Village People performed with YMCA, we were left analyzing a group stage that includes a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to find out their team's group stage opponents. But, despite the fact supporters are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

After acts by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus countless video packages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue further commentary and performances, before the real selection process eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few matches between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition next summer. The Manchester City forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to rival the youngster's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to face him in the last match of the group stage. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the first time in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face South Africa in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who stunned the then-world champions back in 2002. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around half a million, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes 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 round of 32 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 bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential clash. It would require both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely first knockout game. Should the Scots progress, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.