Farah Ben Gamra
The 2026 World Cup starts today with a special and fresh opening ceremony unlike any in the tournament’s history. For the first time, FIFA is staging 3 separate opening ceremonies across the 3 host nations -Mexico, Canada, and the United States- to launch the first-ever 48-team World Cup.
The festivities start in Mexico City ahead of the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa.
Mexico City Opening Ceremony
- Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026
- Time: 11:00 a.m. local time (17:00 GMT)
- Venue: Estadio Azteca, Mexico City Stadium
- Opening Match: Mexico vs. South Africa
- Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. local time (19:00 GMT)
Two additional opening celebrations will follow on June 12 in Toronto and Los Angeles before Canada and the United States play their first matches of the competition.
Who Is Performing?
Shakira and Burna Boy will be the first live performance of the official FIFA World Cup 2026 song, “Dai Dai.”
Then Andrea Bocelli will join David Guetta, Megan Thee Stallion, and EJAE for a performance of the tournament anthem, “DNA.”
The ceremony will also feature J Balvin and Ryan Castro, with their signature Colombian reggaeton to the pitch. Mexican music legend Alejandro Fernández will perform the Mexican national anthem, and it will be South African star Tyla for South Africa’s national anthem.
Fans can also expect performances from Belinda and Danny Ocean, alongside iconic Mexican groups Maná and Los Ángeles Azules. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Lila Downs will showcase Mexico’s rich folkloric traditions during the celebration.
Special Guest
Academy Award-nominated actress Salma Hayek Pinault will take part in the ceremony as a FIFA World Cup Ambassador, officially welcoming fans.
How & Where to Watch the Opening Ceremony
| Region | TV Channels | Live Streaming | Time Zone | |
| United States | FOX, FS1, Telemundo, Universo | FOX One, Peacock, Tubi | 11:00 AM CT | |
| United Kingdom | ITV1, BBC One | ITVX, BBC iPlayer | 5:00 PM BST | |
| France / Spain | M6, beIN Sports France/RTVE (La 1), Mediapro | M6+, beIN Sports | 6:00 PM CEST | |
| MENA | beIN SPORTS | RTVE Play, DAZN Spain | 6:00 PM Tunisia / 7:00 PM Egypt / 9:00 PM UAE | |
| Nigeria | DStv SuperSport, GOtv, StarTimes, NTA, SportyTV | DStv Stream, GOtv Stream, SportyTV | 6:30 PM | |
| South Africa | DStv SuperSport, GOtv, StarTimes, NTA, SportyTV | SABC Plus, DStv Stream | 7:30 PM | |
| India | Unite8 Sports 1 & 2 | Zee5 | 10:30 PM IST | |
| Japan | NHK, Nippon TV, Fuji TV | DAZN Japan | 1:00 AM JST (June 12) | |
| Australia | SBS | SBS On Demand | 2:00 AM (June 12) |
Then, after the opening ceremony at Mexico City Stadium, the football take center stage with the first Group A match of the tournament Mexico face South Africa. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. local time in Mexico City (19:00 GMT).
