The most important sporting event in the world is about to begin and will give way to 104 matches, in which at least 48 teams from different countries will seek to hold the title of the best team in the world. Before the ball officially rolls, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) will celebrate its opening ceremonywhich will bring together various celebrities.
From the well-known Azteca stadium, called Mexico City Stadium during this tournament, the official inauguration of the 2026 FIFA World Cupin which Mexican culture will take a central place in the show. Meanwhile, the teams of Mexico and South Africa will be the protagonists of the first confrontation of the initial phase of the tournament.
Ninety minutes before the opening match of Group A, artists like Shakira and Burna Boy will take the party around the world with the debut of Dai Dai, official anthem of this edition.
In addition, Mexican and Latin American artists will join this celebration to perform some of the hits of the Official Album of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This edition will be held in North America, with three host countries: Mexico, the United States and Canada.
In these countries, the 48 teams will seek to advance throughout the 104 matches that will be played in 16 venues, from June 11 to July 19. In the initial meeting, the new start and formation format of the participating teams will also be presented, which must be located around the central circle of the field to listen to the singing of the national anthems.
Inauguration protocol schedules
- 9 hours: Opening of the doors of the Mexico City Stadium for attendees with a ticket
- 11:30 am: Start of the inaugural musical show
- 12:05 p.m.: Closing of the opening show
- 12:10 p.m.: Departure of the teams to warm up
- 13 hours: Start of the meeting between Mexico and South Africa
The greatest show in the world is ready. Are you? 🏆#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ISxLhuLUkm
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 1, 2026
Opening times by country
- 11:30 am: Mexico City and Central America
- 12:30 p.m.: Panama, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru
- 1:30 p.m.: Chile
- 12:30 p.m.: United States (ET)
- 2:30 p.m.: Argentina and Uruguay
- 7:30 p.m.: Spain
The match between Mexico and South Africa will begin 90 minutes after the start of the opening ceremony.
Artists invited to the inauguration in Mexico
The show promises to fuse music, dance and art in a single space and, according to FIFA, will feature the participation of indigenous talents and folk artists who will bring Mexican roots to the world.
In addition, FIFA announced that for the music segment it will bring together some of the most recognized Latin voices in the international music industry, who will perform some of the hits from the Official Album of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including:
- Shakira
- Burna Boy
- Alejandro Fernandez
- Belinda
- Danny Ocean
- J Balvin
- Lila Downs
- The Blue Angels
- Manna
- Tyla
- Andrea Bocelli
- EJAE
FIFA World Cup 2026 repertoire
For this edition of the tournament, FIFA brought together at least 38 international artists who participated in the making of the Official Album, composed of 18 songs, among which the anthem stands out. Dai Dai.
Part of these songs will be performed during the three scheduled opening ceremonies. That of Mexico will be followed by those of Canada and the United States.
Inaugural matches
June 11, 2026
- Mexico vs. South Africa: 13 hours
- South Korea vs. Czech Republic: 20 hours
June 12, 2026
- Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina: 13 hours
- United States vs. Paraguay: 19 hours
Some of these matches can be seen through cable services, such as Tigo or Claro.