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Next summer's global tournament is at last starting to feel tangible. While supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in the US capital was full of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between football's top strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Draw That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people tuned in eager to find out their national side's initial opponents. However, despite the fact fans are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous montages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the real selection process eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to finish.

On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. The Three Lions' match with Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the only group fixture featuring 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 Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of group games. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with the French superstar's France.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That game, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French once more face Senegal, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are past winners, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face defending champions La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

If all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners the Germans and France.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.