2026 World Cup Opens in Mexico City with First of Three Opening Ceremonies

A Tri-Nation Kickoff

For the first time, the World Cup is hosted by three nations: Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The tournament expands to 48 teams, and organizers have planned three opening ceremonies—one in each host country—starting tonight in Mexico City. The ceremony at the Estadio Azteca, officially renamed Mexico City Stadium for the event, will feature performances by Shakira, Burna Boy, and other Latin and international artists.

We decided to focus on joy and football's ability to bring people together. If I asked people today who was in government during the last World Cup, many wouldn't remember. Many would remember who won, the champions, the emotions and the moments that marked the tournament's history. Sport has this power, it transcends political contingencies and remains in the collective memory.

The Opening Match

The first match of the tournament, Mexico vs South Africa in Group A, kicks off at 21:00 local time. It is a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener, which ended 1-1. Mexico, coached by Javier Aguirre, will likely start Raúl Jiménez in attack, while South Africa, under Hugo Broos, will look to Lyle Foster. Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio will officiate.

Broadcasting and Next Fixtures

In Italy, the opening ceremony and match will be broadcast on Rai 1 and DAZN, with commentary by Pierluigi Pardo and Emanuele Giaccherini on DAZN. Later tonight, South Korea faces the Czech Republic in another Group A match at Zapopan's Estadio Akron. On Friday, Canada opens its campaign against Bosnia, and the United States plays Paraguay.

A Historic Venue and Creative Vision

The Estadio Azteca becomes the first stadium to host three World Cup opening ceremonies (1970, 1986, 2026). Creative director Marco Balich, working with artistic director Carlos Navarrete, has crafted three distinct ceremonies that share a common theme. "We worked with Mexican, Canadian, American, and French teams. Carlos Navarrete is coordinating the creative path for me," Balich said.