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Next summer's global tournament is at last starting to feel tangible. While supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group performed with YMCA, observers were analyzing a group stage featuring a showdown between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on eager to discover their team's group stage fixtures. But, despite the fact supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After acts by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it eventually appeared to get going almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by official standings, while Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will make his debut in his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City forward scored 16 times in eight matches to single-handedly carry his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the 25-year-old's incredible goalscoring feats—except for one player is scheduled to face 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 leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off the 2010 edition. That game, ending 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French again come up against Senegal, who stunned the then-world champions back in 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the finals for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

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

On the opposite half of the bracket, 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 require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.