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Next summer's global tournament is finally starting to feel tangible. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's draw in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between football's top strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people logged on keen to find out their team's initial fixtures. However, despite the fact fans are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

After performances by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous montages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the real selection process eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event first kicked off. The draw itself then required almost an hour to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the only group fixture with two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, interesting matches remain.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is set to face him in the final round of group games. Along with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against the French superstar's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will face South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's cast of star names 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 time. However, awaiting them are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, will face title-holders Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the favorites make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between past winners the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where old rivals the Argentine and the Portuguese are set for a potential showdown. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and navigating the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. And, if Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.