Three countries, three ceremonies, three chances to reshape what a World Cup opening looks like
For the first time, the World Cup opens not in one place but three — a reflection of a tournament that has outgrown any single nation's embrace. Across Mexico City, Toronto, and Los Angeles on June 11 and 12, FIFA will stage separate opening ceremonies, each anchored by artists chosen to speak to their host culture. It is a deliberate act of multiplication: the spectacle of global football refracted through three distinct human geographies, with Shakira, Anitta, Katy Perry, and others serving as the connective tissue between sport and shared celebration.
- For the first time in World Cup history, the tournament's opening is being split across three countries simultaneously, raising the stakes for what a 'global' celebration can even mean.
- Each ceremony carries its own cultural pressure — Mexico City must honor Latin roots, Toronto must reflect Canadian identity, and Los Angeles must hold the weight of American spectacle.
- Shakira anchors Mexico City alongside Burna Boy, Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé lead Toronto, while Katy Perry, Anitta, Lisa from BLACKPINK, and Future converge in Los Angeles.
- Italian producer Marco Balich, fresh from the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, is tasked with making three ninety-minute shows feel as monumental as a single unified opening.
- The official song 'Dai Dai' doubles as a fundraising vehicle, with FIFA targeting $100 million for its Global Citizen education fund — ambition woven into the entertainment.
- Shakira will return for the World Cup final halftime show alongside Madonna and BTS, signaling that the tournament's entertainment arc is as carefully constructed as the competition itself.
For the first time in World Cup history, the tournament will unfold across three countries at once — Mexico, Canada, and the United States — and FIFA has responded by staging three separate opening ceremonies, each with its own cast of stars.
The spectacle begins June 11 in Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, where Shakira performs alongside Nigeria's Burna Boy before Mexico faces South Africa. The Colombian singer's symbolic resonance with Latin America makes her a natural anchor, and she'll be joined by a sweeping lineup that includes J Balvin, Maná, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, and others spanning generations and genres.
On June 12, attention shifts north. In Toronto, Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé headline before Canada plays Bosnia and Herzegovina. That same evening, Los Angeles hosts Katy Perry, Lisa from BLACKPINK, Anitta, Rema, and Future ahead of the United States versus Paraguay. Anitta stands out as one of the tournament's most omnipresent performers, appearing in both the Los Angeles and Mexico City festivities.
Each ceremony runs roughly ninety minutes and falls under the direction of Marco Balich, the Italian producer behind the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics opening — a signal of FIFA's ambition to rival the Games in spectacle.
Shakira will return for the World Cup final halftime show, sharing the stage with Madonna and BTS in what promises to be a Super Bowl-scale entertainment event. Meanwhile, the official song 'Dai Dai' carries an institutional mission beyond celebration: FIFA aims to raise $100 million through it for its Global Citizen education fund. Additional artists for the U.S. and Canadian ceremonies are still to be announced, suggesting the full picture of this unprecedented, three-nation opening is not yet complete.
For the first time in World Cup history, the tournament will unfold across three countries at once—Mexico, Canada, and the United States—and FIFA has decided that means three separate opening ceremonies, each with its own constellation of stars. The spectacle begins on June 11 in Mexico City at the Azteca Stadium, where Shakira will take the stage alongside Nigeria's Burna Boy to perform "Dai Dai," the official song of the tournament. She'll sing it before Mexico faces off against South Africa in the competition's opening match.
The choice of Shakira for Mexico carries symbolic weight. The Colombian singer has deep roots in Latin American culture and carries the kind of global recognition that FIFA seeks for its marquee moments. But she won't be alone on that stage. The Mexico City ceremony will also feature Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, and Tyla—a lineup that spans generations and genres, from regional Mexican music to reggaeton to contemporary pop.
A day later, on June 12, the focus shifts north. In Toronto, Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé will headline the Canadian opening ceremony before Canada plays Bosnia and Herzegovina. Later that same evening, Los Angeles gets its turn. Katy Perry anchors that show, joined by Lisa from BLACKPINK, the Nigerian afrobeats artist Rema, Brazil's Anitta, and rapper Future. They'll perform before the United States takes on Paraguay. Anitta, notably, appears in both the Los Angeles ceremony and was also involved in the Mexico City festivities, making her one of the tournament's most visible performers.
Each ceremony has been designed to last roughly ninety minutes, ending just before the opening kickoff. The production falls under the direction of Marco Balich, an Italian producer who orchestrated the opening ceremony for this year's Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics—a credential that signals FIFA's ambition for these events to rival the spectacle of the Games themselves.
Beyond the opening ceremonies, Shakira will return for the World Cup final's halftime show, where she'll share the stage with Madonna and the South Korean group BTS. That performance will follow the Super Bowl model, turning the intermission into its own major entertainment event.
The official song "Dai Dai" carries a secondary mission: FIFA has set a goal of raising one hundred million dollars through the track for the FIFA Global Citizen education fund. It's a reminder that even in moments designed purely for celebration, the machinery of global sports finds ways to attach larger institutional purposes.
FIFA has indicated that additional artists will be announced for the ceremonies in the United States and Canada, suggesting the lineups announced so far are not final. What's already clear is that the 2026 World Cup will be unlike any that came before it—not just in its geographic scope, but in the way it fragments the traditional single opening ceremony into three distinct cultural moments, each tailored to its host nation.
Citas Notables
The Mexico City ceremony will feature Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, and Tyla alongside Shakira and Burna Boy— FIFA announcement
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does FIFA need three opening ceremonies instead of one big one?
Because for the first time, the World Cup is happening in three countries at the same time. You can't have everyone gather in one place. So instead of one ceremony, you get three—each one before the opening match in that country.
And they picked Shakira for Mexico. That seems deliberate.
It does. She's Colombian, so she carries that Latin American weight. She's also one of the few artists with the kind of global reach FIFA wants for these moments. But they didn't just pick her—they surrounded her with a whole lineup that speaks to Mexico's musical identity.
Anitta appears in two of the three ceremonies. Is she the biggest star here?
She's certainly the most visible. But I think what's happening is that FIFA is spreading the star power across regions. Shakira for Latin America, Katy Perry for the American mainstream, Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé for Canada. Anitta bridges those worlds.
The official song is supposed to raise a hundred million dollars for education. Does that actually happen?
That's the stated goal. Whether it reaches that number depends on how the song performs commercially and how the fund actually operates. It's a nice intention layered onto what's otherwise pure entertainment.
And Shakira performs again at the final?
Yes, with Madonna and BTS. So she's essentially bookending the entire tournament—opening it in Mexico, closing it at the final. That's a significant role.