MEXICO CITY — The spectacular opening ceremony of the 23rd FIFA World Cup has officially begun at the legendary Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. This event marked the start of a tournament that will forever change the history of world sport, as for the first time in history the World Cup is being hosted by three countries simultaneously — the USA, Mexico and Canada.
The show in Mexico City combined Latin America’s rich cultural heritage with contemporary musical trends. The headliners of the first ceremony were the Colombian pop diva Shakira and a Nigerian rapper Burna Boy, who together performed the official anthem of the 2026 World Cup, entitled «Dai Dai». In addition to them, the crowd was treated to performances by the rock band Maná, J Balvin, Belinda and South African star Tyla.
Key facts and figures for the 2026 World Cup
FIFA 2026 The tournament officially became the largest and longest football festival in the world in history.
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New format: Making their World Championship debut 48 national teams (Previously, from 1998 onwards, 32 teams took part in the tournament).
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Record duration: The football marathon will continue 39 days (The final is scheduled for 19 July in New York/New Jersey).
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Number of matches: Due to the increase in the number of participants, fans will see a record number of 104 matches instead of the usual 64.
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Three discoveries: This World Cup is unique — due to the geographical spread of the venues, FIFA has organised three separate opening ceremonies. The next shows will take place in Toronto (before Canada’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina) and in Los Angeles (before the USA’s match against Paraguay).
Fixtures for the home teams' opening matches (Kyiv time)
| Date | Match | Group. | The stadium and the city |
| 11 June, 10.00 pm | Mexico – South Africa | Group A | «Azteca», Mexico City |
| 12 June, 10.00 pm | Canada – Bosnia and Herzegovina | Group B | «BMO Field, Toronto |
| 13 June, 04:00 | USA v Paraguay | Group D | «SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
Immediately after the conclusion of the spectacular musical programme, the national teams of Mexico and South Africa took to the pitch at the Azteca Stadium to play the official opening match of the 23rd World Cup. Thousands of law enforcement officers are maintaining order around the stadium, as local protests by teachers had attempted to disrupt the start of the tournament the day before; however, the organisers managed to fully ensure security and the timely start of the event.
The world held its breath for the next 39 days — the football festival has officially begun!
