The FIFA World Cup 2026 has officially begun, and the celebrations started long before the first match kicked off. The tournament’s three host countries — United States, Mexico and Canada — have organized grand opening ceremonies featuring some of the biggest names in global music.
The ceremonies are taking place across all three host nations, highlighting the scale of the first World Cup to be jointly hosted by three countries.
Mexico Opens the Celebrations at Estadio Azteca
Mexico hosted the first opening ceremony on June 11 at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The event began at 1:30 pm ET ahead of the tournament opener and featured performances from several major Latin music stars. The lineup included J Balvin, Maná, Belinda, Alejandro Fernández, Los Ángeles Azules, Lila Downs and Danny Ocean.
Belinda was among the first artists to perform during the celebrations.
ESTO NO ES UN SIMULACRO, BELINDA EN El MUNDIAL EN MÉXICO. #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/F7FEfcV3LB
— ℰ (@Eduardo9_C) June 11, 2026
Meanwhile, global music stars Shakira and Burna Boy took centre stage to debut the official World Cup 2026 anthem, “Dai Dai”.
Shakira performs at FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City pic.twitter.com/n5P7LnaZSw
— Khia Asylum Crave (@KhiaAsylumCrave) June 11, 2026
Canada to Host Second Opening Ceremony
The celebrations will continue in Canada on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1:30 pm ET and will feature a diverse lineup of international artists.
Canadian music icon Alanis Morissette will headline the event. Other performers include Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince.
United States Set for Grand Finale Ceremony
The United States will host the final opening ceremony event on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The show will begin at 7:30 pm ET before the first match involving the US men's national team.
The star-studded lineup includes Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla.
Madonna, Shakira and BTS to Headline Historic Final Halftime Show
The entertainment will continue throughout the tournament and reach its peak during the World Cup final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium. FIFA and Global Citizen have announced that Madonna, Shakira and BTS will headline the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show.
The performance will be curated by Chris Martin and broadcast live to audiences around the world. FIFA president Gianni Infantino praised the artists and the significance of the event.
"Madonna, Shakira and BTS are global icons whose music transcends borders and generations, and we are proud to welcome them to the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay."
Special Appearances Planned
The halftime show will also feature beloved characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets. Global Citizen is producing the event in partnership with Live Nation Entertainment and Done + Dusted.
With performances from international music stars, historic venues and the first-ever World Cup final halftime show, FIFA World Cup 2026 has already delivered a spectacular start before the football action fully gets underway.