FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony LIVE: Shakira’s Dai-Dai to rock Mexico City as hosts take on SA

The FIFA World Cup 2026 opened with a historic ceremony at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 11, marking the first time the tournament spans three host nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The event featured a 90-minute spectacle blending local heritage and global music, including Shakira and Burna Boy’s world-premiere performance of the official anthem 'Dai Dai.' The ceremony showcased a lineup of international stars, including Andrea Bocelli, J Balvin, Tyla, Maná, Belinda, Alejandro Fernández, Danny Ocean, Lila Downs, and Los Ángeles Azules. Following the performance, Mexico hosted South Africa in a Group A match, a rematch of their 2010 World Cup opener, with El Tri aiming to secure an opening win in front of 83,000 fans. Estadio Azteca became the first venue to host matches across three World Cup editions (1970, 1986, and 2026). The ceremony also marked the first of three opening events across the host countries, celebrating the tournament’s expanded scale of 48 teams and 104 matches. FIFA’s global lineup highlighted Latin and African culture, with Shakira and Burna Boy headlining alongside local legends like Maná and Alejandro Fernández. The event concluded with pre-match warm-ups, leading directly into the Mexico vs. South Africa clash at 1:00 PM CST (12:30 AM IST). The World Cup 2026 also includes FIFA Fan Festivals in 13 host cities, offering live matches, performances, and local food. Fans can find details at the official FIFA website. The tournament’s expanded format and cultural celebrations set the stage for a landmark edition in football history.