2026 FIFA World Cup opens with Shakira, Burna Boy headlining Mexico City ceremony

The 2026 FIFA World Cup opened on Thursday with a spectacle of music and football at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, as Shakira and Burna Boy took the stage to perform "Dai Dai," the tournament's official anthem, live for the first time before the Group A match between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa.inside.fifa+2

A Star-Studded Ceremony

The opening ceremony, which began 90 minutes before kickoff, featured a lineup spanning multiple genres and continents. Alongside the headliners, the ceremony included Colombian reggaeton artist J Balvin, Mexican ranchera legend Alejandro Fernández, South African vocalist Tyla, Mexican pop band Maná, Los Ángeles Azules, Belinda, Lila Downs, and Venezuelan singer Danny Ocean. Alejandro Fernández performed the Mexican national anthem, while Tyla sang South Africa's anthem, connecting the ceremony to the two teams set to face off in the tournament's inaugural match.olympics+2

The ceremony is the first of three planned across the tournament's host nations. Canada holds its opening event on June 12 at Toronto Stadium ahead of the match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the United States hosts its ceremony the same day in Los Angeles, where Katy Perry is set to headline before the U.S. faces Paraguay.aljazeera+1

Shakira's World Cup Legacy

"Dai Dai," released on May 15 through Ace Entertainment and Sony Music Latin, takes its title from an Italian slang exclamation meaning "come on". The song is part of an 18-track official FIFA World Cup 2026 album featuring artists including LISA, Future, Tyla, Daddy Yankee, 21 Savage, Anitta, Rema, and The Rolling Stones. Royalties from the track support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.espn+4

Shakira's connection to the World Cup stretches back two decades. She performed "Hips Don't Lie" at the 2006 closing ceremony in Berlin, delivered the iconic "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" at the 2010 tournament in South Africa, and returned for the 2014 closing ceremony in Brazil. Her appearance Thursday marks her fourth World Cup performance — and not her last this summer. According to ESPN The Walt Disney Company ↘ 0.80%, the July 19 final in New Jersey will feature a halftime show co-headlined by Madonna, Shakira, and BTS.instagram+2

The Biggest World Cup Begins

The Estadio Azteca, with a capacity of approximately 83,000, became the first venue in history to host three World Cup opening matches. This edition of the tournament — the largest ever — will feature 104 matches across 16 host cities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, running through the final on July 19.fifa+1