Before the opening whistle marks the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, In the meeting between the Mexican and South African teams, the Mexico City Stadium will be the scene of a celebration that will attract the attention of the entire world, with the participation of artists such as Shakira and Burna Boy.
A series of Latin artists will be in charge of opening the most important sporting event in the world this June 11, in the 23rd edition of the tournament, with interpretations of hits that are part of the official album of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This edition, organized by the three North American venues—Mexico, the United States and Canada—will be held from June 11 to July 19 and will have the particularity of including three musical shows. Confirmed artists include Alanis Morissette, William Prince, Katy Perry, Anitta, Lisa and Shakira.
The so-called Azteca stadium will host a World Cup opening ceremony for the third time, but this time it will have a billboard made up of artists of the caliber of Alejandro Fernández, Belinda and Danny Ocean, among others.
It was on June 4 when FIFA officially announced the incorporation of Shakira and Burna Boy to the opening event in Mexico, where they will present the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, “Dai Dai”. The sporting event will begin this Thursday at 1 p.m., while the shows will begin 90 minutes before, according to FIFA.
The schedule established by FIFA indicates that the inaugural musical show will begin at 11:30 a.m. in Guatemala and is expected to end after 12:05 p.m.
The event will be inspired by iconographic elements such as papel picado and will include references to Mexican traditions, such as the Day of the Dead celebration. In addition to Shakira, the following artists will participate:
- Alejandro Fernandez
- Belinda
- Danny Ocean
- J Balvin
- Lila Downs
- The Blue Angels
- Manna
- Tyla
The opening match will be followed by the confrontation between South Korea and the Czech Republic, which will be played at the Guadalajara Stadium at 8 p.m. local time. With this, Group A will begin its participation in the initial phase of the tournament.
For Friday, June 12, countries such as Canada and the United States will also join the tournament and will hold opening ceremonies in their respective countries before their matches.
For this World Cup, 16 cities will host the maximum football celebration, which will include a total of 104 matches between June and July 2026.
The greatest show in the world is ready. Are you? 🏆#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ISxLhuLUkm
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 1, 2026