World Cup opens with Shakira, presidential boycott, and deadly cartel attack on the eve of the tournament
The 2026 World Cup kicked off with a vibrant opening ceremony at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, where Shakira performed the official song, while President Claudia Sheinbaum stayed away in a surprising boycott and a cartel attack killed five police officers in a state west of the capital.
Opening ceremony
A 30-minute, seven-song spectacle unfolded on Thursday evening in the historic Azteca Stadium, blending indigenous folklore with futuristic flair and culminating in Shakira and Burna Boy performing the official World Cup song ‘Dai Dai’. Other artists including Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs and Alejandro Fernández took the stage before the first match. The ceremony’s message, echoed across the stadium, was that football unites everything.
Football unites everything.
Presidential no-show
President Claudia Sheinbaum was conspicuously missing from the VIP tribune. She gave her ticket away in what was described as a surprising act carrying a critical message. Earlier in her day she had left the secure presidential palace, though she did not appear at the stadium. No official explanation was immediately provided, but the boycott came despite the government’s insistence that fan safety is not at risk.
Security shadow
On Wednesday, the eve of the tournament, five police officers were killed and five more wounded when unknown attackers opened fire on their vehicle in the Nahuatzen district of Michoacán state, where the Jalisco New Generation cartel is active. The vehicle was left riddled with bullet holes. A large-scale manhunt followed, and authorities said the attack, about 300 kilometres from both Mexico City and Guadalajara, did not imperil World Cup security.
- Five police officers killed in a cartel attack in Michoacán
- Half-hour opening ceremony with Shakira and Burna Boy at the Azteca
- Opening match Mexico vs South Africa kicks off
Calm despite protest fears
Teachers, mothers of the disappeared and oil company workers had planned to disrupt the opening, but on the day the atmosphere remained remarkably calm. Only a few protests materialised, allowing the city to celebrate the tournament’s start without major incident.
Expanded tournament
The 23rd edition of the World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams and 104 matches across three host nations — Mexico, the United States and Canada. The Azteca, hosting its third World Cup after 1970 and 1986 and its 20th global finals match, was where both Pelé and Maradona lifted the trophy. While the party in Mexico City set a festive tone, scepticism remains among fans and experts about whether the bloated format can deliver quality alongside quantity.
