World Cup 2026 kicks off with three opening ceremonies across Mexico, Canada and the US
For the first time in tournament history, the FIFA World Cup will launch with three separate opening ceremonies across its three host nations, starting Thursday in Mexico City.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will break with tradition by holding three distinct opening ceremonies, one in each host nation, rather than a single event. The ceremonies are scheduled to begin 90 minutes before each host nation's first group-stage match, flowing directly into the game.
Mexico kicks off the trilogy
The first ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 11 at Estadio Azteca (officially Banorte Stadium) in Mexico City. Shakira and Burna Boy will headline the event, performing the official tournament song "Dai Dai" live for the first time. The lineup also includes J Balvin, Belinda, Ryan Castro, Lila Downs, Alejandro Fernández, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, Danny Ocean, and Tyla. Fernández will sing the Mexican national anthem before the host nation faces South Africa in the opening Group A match, while Tyla will perform the South African anthem.
The Mexican ceremony is expected to last 16 minutes and 30 seconds.
Canada's ceremony follows on Friday
The second ceremony will take place on Friday, June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto (temporarily renamed Toronto Stadium for the tournament). Michael Bublé will headline the event, joined by Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, Palestinian singer Elyanna, Nora Fatehi, William Prince, DJ Sanjoy, and Vegedream. The ceremony precedes Canada's opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A powerful reflection of Canada's identity.
The United States closes the trilogy
The third and final ceremony will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Friday, June 12 (local time). Katy Perry will headline the US ceremony, with Future and Tyla also taking centre stage. K-pop group BLACKPINK will be joined by Brazilian artist Anitta and Nigerian singer Rema. The event leads into the United States' opening match against Paraguay.
- Mexico opening ceremony begins at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City (5:30 p.m. GMT)
- Mexico vs South Africa kicks off Group A (8 p.m. GMT)
- Canada opening ceremony begins at BMO Field, Toronto (1:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. Irish time)
- Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina kicks off (8 p.m. GMT)
- US opening ceremony begins at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles (4:30 p.m. PT / 12:30 a.m. Irish time June 13)
- USA vs Paraguay kicks off (2 a.m. GMT)
How to watch around the world
In the United States, all three ceremonies will be available on Fox (English) and Telemundo (Spanish), as well as free on Tubi for the Mexico and US ceremonies. UK viewers can watch on BBC and ITV, with the first ceremony broadcast starting at 6:15 p.m. on ITV1. Irish viewers can tune in on RTÉ Two from 6:15 p.m. Australian audiences have access via SBS On Demand, while Brazilian fans can watch on CazéTV's YouTube channel. Other free broadcasters include RTBF/VRT in Belgium, NOS in the Netherlands, SRF Play/RTS Play/RSI Play in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey.
A tournament of unprecedented scale
The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams playing 104 matches across 39 days, the largest bracket in tournament history. Matches will be held across 16 cities: 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The opening match between Mexico and South Africa kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on Thursday, June 11.
