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The upcoming World Cup is finally beginning to seem tangible. While 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 took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a clash between two of the world's best forwards and a playoff bracket promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Draw That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on keen to discover their national side's group stage fixtures. However, even though fans are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and entertainment, before the real selection process finally commenced 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...

Next summer's World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

Two Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to 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. Together with Senegal, 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 initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French again come up against Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Four new nations have benefited from the larger World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner 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 collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between past winners Germany and the French.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where old rivals the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential clash. It would depend on both Argentina and Portugal finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the probable first knockout game. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.