The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially got underway in spectacular fashion on Thursday night as a star-studded opening ceremony lit up the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City ahead of the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa.
Held in front of a packed stadium, the 15 to 20-minute ceremony celebrated Mexico’s rich culture and football heritage while setting the stage for the first-ever 48-team FIFA World Cup.
The festivities began with legendary Mexican rock band Maná taking centre stage. The Grammy-winning group energized the crowd with some of their most popular hits as thousands of supporters sang along, creating an electric atmosphere inside the historic venue.
J Balvin sets the stage on fire
The ceremony then took on a more international flavour with appearances from Colombian superstar J Balvin and Venezuelan singer Danny Ocean. J Balvin’s performance of his hit track “Que Color” transformed the stadium into a sea of lights as fans joined in from the stands.
One of the most anticipated moments of the evening arrived when global music icon Shakira took over the stage. The Colombian singer received a thunderous reception from spectators as she performed during the climax of the ceremony. ‘Dai Dai’ doing the rounds
She was joined by Nigerian superstar Burna Boy for the first live performance of “Dai Dai,” the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The collaboration brought together two of the tournament’s headline artists and symbolised the global nature of football’s biggest event.
The ceremony concluded with a dazzling fireworks display above the Mexico City skyline, filling the night sky with colour as fans prepared for the opening match of the tournament.
With music, culture and football coming together at Estadio Azteca, the opening ceremony provided a fitting start to what promises to be the biggest World Cup in history.
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