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Next summer's World Cup is at last beginning to seem tangible. While supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's draw in the US capital was not short of significant headlines.

Well before the iconic group took to the stage with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a clash between two of the world's best forwards and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated meeting 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 national side's group stage fixtures. But, despite the fact supporters are used to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After acts by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event first kicked off. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this increase in size has perhaps led to the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are very few matches between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest on paper. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, interesting matches remain.

Two Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Premier League striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to come close to the youngster's incredible scoring records—except for one player is set to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another notable fixture will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars 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 time. But, awaiting them are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a population of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the favorites progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions Germany and the French.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible clash. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. Should Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.