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The upcoming World Cup is at last beginning to seem very real. Although supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people tuned in keen to discover their team's group stage fixtures. But, despite the fact supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus countless montages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the actual draw finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, compelling contests still await.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of group games. Together with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—repeating history. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal.

Another notable group game will see the French once more face Senegal, who stunned the then-world champions back in 2002. 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 benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, meets title-holders La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions Germany and France.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential clash. 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 first knockout game. Should the Scots progress, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could await in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.