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The upcoming World Cup is at last beginning to seem tangible. Although fans can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony 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 featuring a showdown between football's top strikers and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on keen to find out their team's initial fixtures. But, despite the fact fans are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

Following acts by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then required almost an hour to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup 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 slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. England's match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his major international competition next summer. The Premier League striker scored 16 times in eight matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been paired with the French superstar's Les Bleus.

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. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching group game 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 then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Four new nations have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, will face title-holders La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to meet. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between past winners the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries the Argentine and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if 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.