World Cup 2026 opening set to feature global music stars

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will begin with an unprecedented series of opening ceremonies across the tournament’s three host countries- Mexico, Canada and the United States- combining football, music and cultural celebrations ahead of the opening matches.

FIFA has planned three separate opening ceremonies to mark the start of the first-ever 48-team World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States, reports Al Jazeera.

The first ceremony will take place in Mexico City on June 11 before the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa. The event is scheduled to begin 90 minutes before kickoff and is expected to showcase Mexican culture through indigenous performances, contemporary folkloric acts and the traditional art of papel picado.

A star-studded musical lineup is expected to perform in Mexico City, including Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules and Maná. South African singer Tyla is also set to appear. Global music icons Shakira and Burna Boy are expected to perform the official World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” during the ceremony.

The opening-day schedule in Mexico City includes stadium gates opening at 9:00am local time, the ceremony beginning at 11:00am, team warm-ups at 12:10pm, and the match between Mexico and South Africa kicking off at 1:00pm.

The second opening ceremony will be held in Toronto on June 12 before Canada’s World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Organisers say the event will highlight Canada’s diversity through a “cultural mosaic” theme, featuring a countdown sequence designed to take audiences on a journey across the country.

Artists expected to perform in Toronto include Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince. The match will mark the first FIFA World Cup game played by the Canadian men’s national team on home soil.
Later on June 12, the United States will host its opening ceremony at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles ahead of the match between the USA and Paraguay. The American celebration is expected to feature performances by Katy Perry and rapper Future, while other international artists are also expected to participate in festivities surrounding the event.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the World Cup as a global event shared by people around the world, emphasising the significance of the opening celebrations. Event producer Marco Balich has said each host nation’s ceremony will reflect its unique cultural identity while promoting unity across North America.

Reports indicate that the Mexico City ceremony will run for approximately 16 minutes, while the Toronto and Los Angeles events are expected to last around 13 minutes each. Following the performances, teams will conduct warm-ups before official pre-match protocols and player introductions begin.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, running from June 11 to July 19, will be the largest edition in the tournament’s history, featuring 48 teams competing across 16 host cities in North America.
Source: Al Jazeera