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The upcoming World Cup is finally beginning to seem tangible. Although supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was full of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group performed with YMCA, observers were analyzing a opening round featuring a clash between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on eager to find out their national side's initial opponents. But, despite the fact fans are used to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the only group fixture featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

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

Hardly any have been able to rival the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to face him in the final round of group games. Along with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been paired with Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the first time in international football. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France again come up against Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders 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.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first time. However, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between former champions the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible showdown. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and navigating the initial playoffs.

For England, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.