As usual, the opening will not be limited to the match alone, as it will be preceded by a huge artistic concert that begins about 90 minutes before the starting whistle, with the participation of a wide range of stars, including Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Angeles Azules, Mana, Tayla, in addition to Shakira, who returns to the atmosphere of the World Cup after she was strongly present in the 2010 edition, and this time she also signed the official song of the tournament.
The Mexico City concert is based on the idea of Papel picado, a well-known Mexican folk art widely used during Day of the Dead celebrations, in an attempt to give the opening a clearly local character that combines music and Mexican cultural symbols.
But the festive atmosphere may not be without another scene outside the stadium, as demonstrators are expected to head towards the vicinity of the Azteca Stadium, which may make the street an unofficial part of the opening day.
In an edition held for the first time and jointly organized by 3 countries, North America will not be satisfied with one party. There is also an opening party in Canada, preceding the Canadian national team’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday in Toronto, at BMO Field.
The Canadian concert will witness performances by dancer Nora Fatehi and singer Michael Bublé, in addition to French rapper Vegedream, whose name is associated with the World Cup after his famous song that accompanied France’s 2018 title. He will have a new date with the audience this time, as part of a show titled Canada’s Unity.
As for the United States, it will conclude the series of opening ceremonies on Saturday, before its first match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles. As expected, the artistic list will be American in nature and huge, with the participation of Katy Perry, Tayla, Anita and Future.
It is expected that the American concert will focus on the diversity within the United States and its broad influence on world music.
Between Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles, it seems that the 2026 World Cup does not begin with just one match, but with three different celebratory messages, reflecting the size of the new tournament and the ambition of its organizers to make the opening a global event in itself.
