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Next summer's World Cup is at last beginning to seem tangible. While supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent draw in the US capital was full of significant headlines.

Well before the iconic group performed with YMCA, we were left analyzing a group stage that includes a showdown between football's top strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between two greats of the sport.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to discover their national side's initial fixtures. But, even though fans are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and discussions, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue further commentary and performances, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will get a crack at his major international competition next summer. The Premier League striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to face him in the final round of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see France 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 outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning 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. But, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face European champions and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

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 potential tie between past winners the Germans and France.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals the Argentine and the Portuguese are set for a potential clash. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.

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