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The upcoming World Cup is at last starting to feel very real. Although supporters can finally start marking their calendars, the recent draw in the US capital was not short of major talking points.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, observers were analyzing a opening round that includes a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people tuned in eager to find out their national side's group stage opponents. However, even though fans are used to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

After acts by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue more interviews and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began 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 unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have managed to rival the youngster's ridiculous goalscoring feats—except for one player is set to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Together with Senegal, Norway have been paired with the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—and not for the first time. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching group game will see France again come up against Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the finals for the first time. However, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

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

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and France.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a potential clash. It would require both Argentina and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the probable first knockout game. Should Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could await in what would be their first ever World Cup knockout fixture.