Translated with AI
The opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place in Mexico City. For the first time in history, the tournament will be held across three countries—the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Organizers will hold three official opening ceremonies: after the Mexican capital, similar events will take place in Toronto and Los Angeles.
On the eve of the competition, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the ceremonies would combine music, culture, and football, reflecting the individuality of each host country and emphasizing the tournament's unity.
The opening ceremony in Mexico City featured performances by Mexican artists, including Colombian rapper J Balvin, his compatriot Shakira, and rapper Burna Boy. The artists performed the song "Dai Dai." Shakira is also reportedly set to headline the halftime show at the World Cup final on July 19, along with Madonna and South Korean group BTS.
Before the opening match, Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli and South Korean singer EJAE performed the official World Cup anthem DNA (More Than A Game), recorded in collaboration with French DJ David Guetta and American singer and actress Megan Thee Stallion.
Shortly after the opening ceremony, the first match of the tournament between Mexico and South Africa began at the stadium in Mexico City. The match ended with a 2-0 victory for the hosts, officially opening the World Cup.
The 2026 World Cup is considered the most expensive in the history of world football. The tournament will feature 104 matches in 16 cities, with the majority of venues located in the United States. The final will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, near New York City.
A record 48 national teams are participating in the tournament. Iran is among the participants, despite the complicated relations between Tehran and Washington. The expansion of the field from 32 to 48 teams allowed teams from Uzbekistan, Jordan, Cape Verde, and Curaçao to qualify for the championship for the first time.
Four-time world champion Italy failed to advance past the qualifying stage for the third consecutive time. The Russian and Belarusian national teams did not participate in the qualifying tournament, as they remain suspended from international competition following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The opening match was held at the largest stadium in Latin America, with a capacity of 87,500 spectators. The arena, formerly known as the Azteca, was renamed the Estadio Banorte, but for the duration of the World Cup, it is officially known as the Mexico City Stadium in accordance with FIFA regulations.
On Friday, Team Canada will play Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, and on Saturday, Team USA will play Paraguay in Los Angeles.
Preparations for the tournament were met with criticism from fans due to high prices for tickets, accommodation, and transportation. Protests in Mexico City, which continued during the final week before the tournament's opening, further raised concerns.
On Tuesday, thousands of protesters blocked the avenue leading to the stadium, but were prevented from approaching the arena by police cordons. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called the protests a provocation and declared that the opening match would go ahead regardless of the protests.
Mexico is hosting the World Cup for the third time in its history, while this tournament is Canada's first. Authorities in the Mexican capital declared June 11 a public holiday and recommended residents work remotely if possible.
Another high-profile incident before the start of the tournament involved Somali referee Omar Artan. American authorities denied him entry into the country. According to the referee himself, he was interrogated for 11 hours before being sent on a flight to Istanbul.
Artan claimed he had all the necessary documents and a valid visa. The referee, named Africa's best referee last year and preparing to become Somalia's first representative at the World Cup finals, subsequently returned to Mogadishu, where he was greeted by thousands of people.
Commenting on the incident, he stated that he intends to participate in the next World Championship and continue representing his country on the international stage. It was later announced that Canada, one of the tournament's host countries, had invited the referee to visit the country.
Gianni Infantino, who has had to answer uncomfortable questions from journalists in recent days, called Artan's situation unfortunate, but added that FIFA cannot control immigration processes.
"It's also unfortunate what happened to Omar, the Somali referee. But again, we can't control everything," he said at a press conference on Wednesday. "We always try to find solutions, but we must remember that we are not the rulers of the world, capable of dictating our will to governments and police—we are just a sports organization."
US President Donald Trump, who maintains a warm relationship with the FIFA president and has previously spoken harshly about Somali immigrants, said he intended to attend matches at the 2026 World Cup, but did not specify which ones.
