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Next summer's World Cup is finally beginning to seem very real. While fans can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's draw in the US capital was full of major talking points.

Well before the Village People performed with their classic hit, we were left analyzing a group stage that includes a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people logged on eager to find out their national side's group stage opponents. However, even though fans are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless video packages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming World Cup will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this increase in size has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. 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—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in eight matches to drag his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's incredible scoring records—except for one player is set to face him in the final round of group games. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will face South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see the French again come up against Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first time. But, standing in their way are former world champions, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face European champions and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, meets title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes 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 possible matchup between past winners the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals the Argentine and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible showdown. It would depend on both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely last-32 tie. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.