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The upcoming World Cup is finally beginning to seem very real. Although fans can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was full of major talking points.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, we were left analyzing a group stage featuring a clash between football's top strikers and a playoff bracket promising a truly mouthwatering meeting between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on eager to discover their team's initial opponents. But, even though supporters are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' 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.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is set to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the first time in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

El Tri will take on South Africa in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another notable fixture will see the French again come up against Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that opening night, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first time. But, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and South American champions.

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. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around half a million, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets defending champions La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and France.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable first knockout game. Should Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.