FIFA 2026 Opening Ceremony Today: Shakira, Maná & Burna Boy Perform in Mexico City — Full Guide
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony takes place today, June 11, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Global superstars Shakira and Burna Boy will perform their official World Cup anthem "Dai Dai" live for the first time, alongside Maná, J Balvin, Tyla, and a star-studded cast of international artists. Here is everything you need to know about the historic event.
When Is the Opening Ceremony?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony begins at 11:30 AM CT / 1:30 PM ET / 17:30 UTC on Thursday, June 11, 2026. It takes place at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City — the most storied venue in World Cup history and the site of today's opening match between Mexico and South Africa.
The ceremony is scheduled to last approximately 90 minutes, concluding with the kick-off at 1:00 PM CT / 3:00 PM ET / 19:00 UTC. Fans in Mexico City began filling the 87,000-capacity Azteca from early morning, with authorities reporting that all tickets for the event are sold out.
Full Performer Lineup — Mexico City Ceremony
FIFA has assembled a remarkable lineup of global and Mexican talent for the Mexico City opening ceremony, celebrating both the universality of football and the cultural richness of the host nation:
- Shakira — Colombia's global icon, headlining the ceremony with Burna Boy for the world premiere of "Dai Dai"
- Burna Boy — Nigeria's Grammy-winning Afrobeats superstar, co-performer of the official tournament anthem
- Maná — Mexico's legendary rock band, bringing an emotional hometown performance
- J Balvin — Colombia's reggaeton king, one of Latin music's biggest global names
- Tyla — South Africa's breakout star, representing the visiting nation in a poignant symbolic moment
- Belinda — Mexican pop star and cultural icon
- Lila Downs — Mexican singer celebrated for blending indigenous and contemporary sounds
- Los Ángeles Azules — Mexico's beloved cumbia institution
- Danny Ocean — Venezuelan-American singer-songwriter
- Ryan Castro — Colombian urban artist
- Andrea Bocelli — Italian tenor providing a classical counterpoint to the pop lineup
- Ejae — South Korean-American vocalist
- Salma Hayek — Mexican-American actress, making a special appearance as cultural ambassador
The ceremony will also feature Indigenous Mexican performers, contemporary folkloric acts, and the traditional art of papel picado — colorful tissue-paper banners that have become a symbol of Mexican festivities.
The Official Song: "Dai Dai" by Shakira & Burna Boy
Released worldwide on May 14, 2026, "Dai Dai" has already become one of the most streamed World Cup anthems in history. The track fuses Latin pop with Afrobeats influences, with the title drawing from the West African expression for "keep going" or "carry on" — a fitting theme for a tournament that celebrates global unity and determination.
Royalties from "Dai Dai" support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million by the end of the tournament for children's education and football development programs worldwide. Today's live premiere at the Azteca will mark the first time Shakira and Burna Boy perform the song together on stage.
Shakira herself is no stranger to World Cup anthems. She performed "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" at the 2010 World Cup closing ceremony in Johannesburg — a song that became one of the best-selling sports anthems of all time. She is also confirmed to headline the 2026 World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19, alongside Madonna and BTS.
Three Opening Ceremonies Across Three Countries
Uniquely for the 2026 tournament, there are three separate opening ceremonies — one in each host country — reflecting the tri-nation format of the World Cup:
| Date | City | Match | Key Performers |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 11 | Mexico City, MX (Azteca) | Mexico vs South Africa | Shakira, Burna Boy, Maná, Tyla |
| June 12 | Toronto, CA (BMO Field) | Canada vs Bosnia-Herzegovina | Michael Bublé, Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Nora Fatehi |
| June 12 | Los Angeles, USA (SoFi Stadium) | USA opener | Katy Perry, Childish Gambino, DJ Khaled, Post Malone |
The combined live attendance across all three ceremonies is expected to reach approximately 200,000 spectators, making this the most widely attended World Cup opening in history.
How to Watch the Opening Ceremony Live
- USA: FOX (English) / Telemundo (Spanish) — streaming on Fox Sports App, Fubo TV, Peacock
- Mexico: TV Azteca, Televisa Canal 5 (free-to-air)
- UK: BBC One (free) and ITV1 (free)
- Global: FIFA+ app and website — select ceremony coverage available free worldwide
In Mexico City, June 11 has been declared a public holiday, with schools closed and employers encouraged to allow remote work. Street screenings and fan zones have been set up across the capital, where hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to gather.
What the Ceremony Celebrates
Beyond the music, the Mexico City ceremony is designed as a broad celebration of Mexican and Latin American culture. The staging incorporates traditional pre-Columbian imagery, vibrant traje de charro costumes, and contemporary Mexican visual art. FIFA's creative director described the ceremony as "a bridge between tradition and the future — honoring where football has been and celebrating where it is going."
For the host nation, the ceremony carries deep significance. Mexico last hosted the World Cup in 1986 — a tournament that became one of the sport's most memorable — and this co-hosting role represents a national moment of pride. The Azteca itself is being used for World Cup play for a record third time, cementing its status as the sport's most historic venue. For more on the stadium, see our Mexico host cities and stadiums guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
The opening ceremony begins at 11:30 AM CT / 1:30 PM ET / 17:30 UTC on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. It runs for approximately 90 minutes before Mexico vs South Africa kicks off at 19:00 UTC.
The headline performers in Mexico City are Shakira, Burna Boy, Maná, J Balvin, Tyla, Belinda, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Danny Ocean, Ryan Castro, Andrea Bocelli, and Ejae, with a special appearance by Salma Hayek.
"Dai Dai" by Shakira and Burna Boy is the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Released on May 14, 2026, it will be performed live for the first time at today's opening ceremony.
There are three opening ceremonies — one in Mexico City (June 11), one in Toronto (June 12), and one in Los Angeles (June 12) — reflecting the three host nations: Mexico, Canada, and the United States.