Shakira and Burna Boy open 2026 World Cup in Mexico City as Azteca ceremony kicks off tournament
A rapid-fire Latin American music showcase at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium launched the 2026 men's football World Cup, the first of three ceremonies planned across the host nations.
A Latin American festival in half an hour
The opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City unfolded as a fast-paced celebration of Latin American music and Mexican visual culture. Director Marco Balich packed the half-hour show with a succession of artists who performed before more than 80,000 spectators at the Azteca Stadium.
Mexican pop singer Belinda, Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin (in a tie), Venezuelan singer-producer Danny Ocean in a leather jogging suit, and Mexican pop-rock band Maná took the stage in rapid rotation. The audience roared, and the artists swapped spots so quickly that none broke a sweat despite the afternoon heat of 26°C.
Aztec motifs and a plush surprise
The stage design leaned heavily on Mexican heritage. Dancers wore Aztec-inspired costumes and moved across a mat patterned after papel picado, the traditional cut-paper folk art. An announcer declared, "Mexico receives you with the smiles from our heart," a somewhat stiff line that nonetheless set a welcoming tone.
At one point, two dancing plush Labubu characters appeared, a whimsical nod to a contemporary Asian pop-culture figure that left the crowd cheering. The moment gave the high-energy revue an oddly endearing touch.
Vocal power: Shakira, Burna Boy, Bocelli
The headline act arrived later. Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian artist Burna Boy performed "Dai Dai," the official tournament song. Shakira, a veteran of multiple World Cup anthems, drew on her 2010 "Waka Waka" legacy as the crowd sang and clapped along.
Earlier, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and Korean-American singer Ejae performed a World Cup anthem co-written with David Guetta. Their appearance rounded out a globally cast bill that the organizers had assembled to underline the multinational character of the first World Cup held across three countries.
Trump's shadow and a ticket giveaway
The ceremony was staged against an unusual political backdrop. Belgian daily De Standaard noted that Donald Trump "has manipulated the tournament to his hand," framing the festive display as a deliberate effort to shield the public mood from that political weight.
Away from the stage, Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum did not attend. She had given her ticket (number 00001) to Yolett Cervantes Cuaquehua, a 21-year-old Indigenous woman who won a football skills competition for women. The gesture was meant to signal inclusion, even as the political friction around the tournament persisted.
First of three: what comes next
The Mexico City ceremony was the first of three opening events planned across the co-hosts; the United States and Canada will later stage their own ceremonies. The match that followed — Mexico vs South Africa — kicked off a 48-team, 104-match tournament. Only 16 teams exit after the group stage, a format that makes progression forgiving: one win can be enough.
