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Next summer's World Cup is finally beginning to seem very real. While supporters can finally start marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Well before the Village People performed with their classic hit, we were left analyzing a group stage that includes a clash between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the sport.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers tuned in keen to discover their team's group stage opponents. But, despite the fact fans are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue further commentary and performances, before the actual draw eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then required almost an hour to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the initial phase being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams inside the world's elite.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the toughest group by official standings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. Nevertheless, interesting matches still await.

Two Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker scored 16 times in eight matches to drag his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have managed to rival the youngster's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Together with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against the French superstar's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on South Africa 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 most famous for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France once more face the Senegalese, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures 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, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around half a million, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

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

What About the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the favorites progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the heavyweights to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between past winners Germany and the French.

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 showdown. It would require both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely first knockout game. Should the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.