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Next summer's global tournament is at last starting to feel tangible. While fans can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's draw in Washington DC was full of major talking points.

Well before the Village People performed with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a knockout stage that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between two greats of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in eager to discover their team's group stage fixtures. But, despite the fact fans are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and discussions, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue more interviews and performances, before the real selection process eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to finish.

On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will get a crack at his major international competition next summer. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to come close to the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—except for one player is set to come up against him in the final round of group games. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That game, 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 stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first time. However, standing in their way are past winners, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. 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 Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are set for a possible clash. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely last-32 tie. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.