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Next summer's global tournament is finally beginning to seem tangible. Although supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's draw in the US capital was full of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a showdown between football's top strikers and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It May Never End

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

After performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue more interviews and performances, before the real selection process eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then required almost an hour to complete.

On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's World Cup will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's game against Croatia is the most significant 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 toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, compelling contests still await.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Premier League striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to face him in the final round of the group stage. Along with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Expect goals. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also opened the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, 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 taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first time. However, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever feature in 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 Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, will face 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?

Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The round of 32 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 draw, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals Messi and the Portuguese are set for a possible clash. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely first knockout game. Should the Scots progress, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.