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Next summer's global tournament is at last beginning to seem very real. While supporters can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's draw in the US capital was full of major talking points.

Long before the Village People performed with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a clash between football's top strikers and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people logged on eager to discover their national side's group stage opponents. But, even though supporters are accustomed to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and interviews, it finally seemed to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to finish.

On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's game against Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Hardly any have managed to rival the youngster's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against the French superstar's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect goals. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face South Africa in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also opened the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another notable group game will see France again come up against Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first time. However, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and South American champions.

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

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

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

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 possible matchup between past winners Germany and France.

On the opposite half of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

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