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The upcoming global tournament is at last starting to feel very real. Although supporters are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Long before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a playoff bracket promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Numerous viewers logged on eager to find out their national side's group stage opponents. But, despite the fact supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After acts by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to more interviews and entertainment, before the real selection process finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event first kicked off. The selection then required almost an hour to finish.

On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's World Cup will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a record 48 teams and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. 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 Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, compelling contests still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

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

Few have managed to come close to the 25-year-old's incredible goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to face him in the final round of the group stage. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

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

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

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Four new nations have benefited from the larger World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, awaiting them are past winners, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, meets defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

What About the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to meet. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between former champions the Germans and the French.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a possible showdown. It would require both Messi's team and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable last-32 tie. Should the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Dutch could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.