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Next summer's World Cup is at last starting to feel tangible. Although supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were analyzing a group stage featuring a clash between two of the world's best strikers and a knockout stage promising a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on eager to discover their team's initial opponents. However, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and discussions, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The draw itself then required almost an hour to finish.

On to the Football Itself...

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 expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the major nations. England's game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. 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 Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his nation 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 face him in the final round of group games. Along with The Lions of Teranga, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on South Africa in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching group game will see France again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

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

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, 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 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

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

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are set for a potential showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should 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.