A star-studded opening ceremony, featuring Shakira, Burna Boy and J Balvin, kicked off the 2026 World Cup finals in front of a crowd of more than 80,000 at Mexico City’s renovated Azteca Stadium. Mexico opened the tournament, in which 48 teams participated, against South Africa, where the competition began amid escalating protests and social tensions in the capital.
2026 World Cup opening ceremony
The party began with a colorful display of traditional Mexican culture, featuring folkloric dancers and stunning visual performances.The event set the tone for what can be described as the largest World Cup in history, which was jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada.
The 2026 World Cup begins on sheet music
The music took center stage throughout the evening. Mexican cumbia icons of the Los Angeles Azuls joined pop star Belinda, delighting fans with their performance, singing the band’s latest hits.
Football World Cup
Album.Danny Ocean also wowed audiences with his performance, contributing the song “Partidazo” to the official 2026 FIFA World Cup album.
Moving forward, Colombian superstars J Balvin and Ryan Castro energized the crowd with a joint performance of their greatest hits.
Before concluding the show, Balvin treated the audience to his global hit song “I Like It,” providing a rousing finale.One of the highlights of the night came when legendary Mexican rock band Mana took the stage.
Thousands of fans sang along as the group performed their beloved 1992 classic, “Oye Mi Amor,” transforming the stadium into a massive chorus.
Shakira headlines the opening ceremony of the World Cup
Last but not least, the grand opening ceremony saw global pop queen Shakira perform the long-awaited song “Dai Dai”, the official anthem of the tournament.
She was joined on stage by Nigerian music star Burna Boy, setting the perfect tone for the biggest celebration in football.Not only did Shakira sing the football anthem, but she also captivated fans with her signature dance moves at Mexico City’s famous Azteca Stadium.Prior to “Dai Dai,” the Colombian star co-wrote and performed “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” with Freshlyground, the official anthem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa.
Shakira sings World Cup songs
“Football is something that unites many cultures and people from different walks of life,” she told the AP.
“The biggest responsibility in producing a World Cup song is that you have to create a song that represents people’s feelings, emotions and passion.”“So you have to write that song, in a way, knowing that it has to be universal. It has to include many cultures and represent many cultures in one melody,” Shakira continued. “And that, in a way, helped me craft those songs back in the day.”But beyond those conceptual ideas, Shakira has some specific sonic suggestions as well.“I feel like a good World Cup song definitely needs a beat. It has to be rhythmic. It has to make people want to dance. It has to be an anthem as well. It has to make people want to sing in unison, sing loudly at the top of their lungs. It also has that kind of energy,” she says. “This is a must.”
