The World Cup party started on Thursday, June 11, with guest artists who offered a show that announced the arrival of the participating countries in the search for the long-awaited cup that will accredit them as the best on the planet. Shakira, Alejandro Fernández, Belinda and other stars showed on their social networks how they live their experience in the tournament.
Two more openings and shows to be held in the United States and Canada continue on June 12.
The first will be in Canada, where the local team will face Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Toronto Stadium. In Canada there were William Prince, Alessia Cara, Sanjoy, as well as Jessie Reyes.
In the United States, the ceremony will be in Los Angeles, California, before the US match against Paraguay, and will feature Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, Lisa, Rema and Tyla.
The US opening ceremony, in California, will take place at SoFi Stadium and will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Guatemala and Mexico (4:30 p.m. in Los Angeles, 6:30 p.m. in Chicago and 7:30 p.m. in Toronto), and will include a light show.
According to the American network CNN, actor Jason Sudeikis, protagonist of the series Ted Lasso and ambassador of the 2026 World Cup, will be in charge of welcoming the opening ceremony in the United States, where the most recognized artist of the concert will be the singer Katy Perry, who will be accompanied by Lisa.
Likewise, before the match, the South African star Tyla, the Afrobeat musician Rema, the Brazilian Anitta and the American rapper Future will perform, who will give the stage to the Paraguayan duo Purahéi Soul, in charge of performing the Paraguayan anthem, and the country duo Dan + Shay, who will perform the United States anthem.
In the networks of artists
Most of the artists who participate in the openings also show on their social networks how they prepare and how they experience the show.
For example, Fer, from Maná, published in his stories the moment when the group prepared to participate in the inauguration and showed his trembling hands before being part of the history of the 2026 World Cup.
Among them is Alejandro Fernández. “I was born with two blessings; I have always said it and I will continue to say it until the last day: being born Mexican and being born Fernández,” he said.
The Mexican also wrote: “I have been fortunate to travel the world, to sing in settings that once seemed impossible and to take our music to places that I only dreamed of when I was a child. But there are moments that come to remind you where you come from,” and published several photographs, including one of when he was a child singing with his father, Vicente Fernández, and another during the opening show of the 2026 World Cup.
Lila Downs also published messages in different languages in which she welcomed Mexico while showing photos in her dressing room prior to the presentation. A video of her on stage is also featured in another message.
Shakira has approached her audience with multiple stories with a message of peace for the championship and photographs with J Balvin, Danny Ocean and with the Nigerian Burna Boy with whom she performed the hit Dai Dai.
Katy Perry published a story in which she is seen with Tiusa 10-year-old Norwegian boy, to sing his song together wonder.
Furthermore, within the video, the singer also said that hearing Tius’ voice for the first time was her inspiration to write the song that today will be part of the opening of the 2026 World Cup.
“That little voice you are hearing now is Tius’s. Tius recorded his part in ‘Wonder’ when he was 5 years old, in 2021. I heard his voice in 2023 and I was inspired to write the lyrics to ‘Wonder’ and included it in my sixth album. Tius is now 10 years old and traveled from Norway to Los Angeles to sing this song with me on Friday at the World Cup,” describes the American singer.
Belinda also shared different moments. From giving details of her outfit such as a Colombian emerald that she wore in her presentation to part of an interview she gave seconds after leaving the stage.
