The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off with an unprecedented three opening ceremonies simultaneously in three countries. Find out who will perform on the stages in Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles, what the show schedule is and where to watch the opening matches

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a historic event before the referee blows his first whistle. For the first time in the tournament’s history, FIFA is hosting not one but three opening ceremonies – in Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles. Each will have its own character, its own stars and its own cultural message, but all three will be united by a common idea: football is a language understood by the whole world.

The tournament kicks off on 11 June 2026 and runs until 19 July, when the new world champion will be crowned at the MetLife Stadium in New York. A total of 48 teams will play a record 104 matches in 16 cities across three countries – the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The full schedule of the 2026 World Cup group stage matches, with dates, groups and time in Central European Time (CEST), can be found in this article.

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Mexico City, June 11: Where does it all begin?

The first ceremony will take place at the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11 at 11:30 local time (17:30 European time). It will be immediately followed by the opening match between Mexico and South Africa – a symbolic reprise of the game that opened the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.

The main stars of the Mexican show are Shakira and Burna Boy, who will perform the official anthem of the tournament, “Dai Dai”, which was released on May 14, 2026. For Shakira, this is the second official song of the World Cup – the first, “Waka Waka”, became the symbol of the 2010 World Cup.

The artistic concept of the Mexican ceremony is built around papel picado – the traditional Mexican art of paper cutting. This is not just a decoration: fragile colored paper patterns will become a metaphor for unity, which consists of thousands of different elements.

In addition to Shakira and Burna Boy, Maná, Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, J Balvin, Danny Ocean, and South African star Tyla will take the stage as the representative of the opposing team in the opening match.

The show will include welcoming speeches, a flag parade, a match ball ceremony and approximately 30 minutes of live performances.

Schedule (European time)

- 15:00 - stadium gates open

- 17:00 - opening ceremony begins

- 18:10 - team warm-ups

- 19:00 - Mexico vs. South Africa match

Mexico's colonial heritage attracts travelers as much as the beaches of Cancun and Tulum, and some of the country's historic centers are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Read about the best historical destinations in Mexico for a cultural trip here.

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Toronto, June 12: A debutant nation on home soil

The next day, June 12, Canada celebrates. The ceremony at BMO Field in Toronto will begin at 1:30 p.m. local time (8:30 p.m. Kyiv time), and will be followed by Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina playing in the first-ever home match of a men’s national team at the World Cup.

The visual symbol of the Toronto show will be a mosaic – an image that represents the diversity of people, cultures and communities that make up Canada. The ceremony will begin with a symbolic “journey through Canada” from coast to coast.

The musical lineup of the Toronto show is a lesson in Canada's global influence: Michael Bublé, Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyes, Nora Fatehi, Elianna, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince.

Schedule (European time)

- 19:30 - opening ceremony begins

- 21:00 - match Canada - Bosnia and Herzegovina

Top 10 places to visit in Canada for tourists here.

Los Angeles, June 12: Hollywood finale of the trilogy

The opening trilogy will be concluded with an evening show in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium, a multi-billion dollar architectural masterpiece in Inglewood, California. The ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m. local time (00:30 European time on the night of June 12-13).

The Los Angeles show is built in a purely Hollywood way: large-scale visual effects, an immersive storytelling show and live performances around the FIFA Cup. The lineup is designed for global virality: American pop, Afrobeats, K-pop and Latin rhythms.

Katy Perry, LISA from BLACKPINK, Future, Anitta, Rema and Tyla will take the stage - and her appearance at two ceremonies makes her a kind of symbol of unity for the entire tournament. LISA's appearance will be historic: she is the first Thai artist and the first soloist of a K-pop group to perform at the opening ceremony of the World Cup.

Schedule (European time)

- 00:30 (night of June 12-13) - the beginning of the opening ceremony

- 02:00 (June 13) - the match between the USA and Paraguay

New ESTA requirements, key risks for tourists and how to prepare for a trip without unpleasant surprises in this article.

Final in New York: the world's first halftime show at the World Cup

The grand finale of the tournament will be not only the final match, but also another cultural event. On July 19, the first official halftime show in the history of the World Cup will take place at MetLife Stadium. Its co-headliners will be Shakira, Madonna and the K-pop group BTS. This will be another point at which great sport and popular culture will meet like never before.

Who is behind all three shows?

All three ceremonies are being produced by Italian creative agency Balich Wonder Studio. Its founder, Marco Balich, has a portfolio of ceremonies for several Olympic Games, including the 2026 Winter Olympics. Despite the joint creator, each show will have its own language - cultural and visual.

Where to watch in Europe?

In the UK, the official broadcasters are BBC and ITV. In the US - FOX, FS1, Telemundo and Universo, and a free broadcast is available on Tubi. To watch from other countries, it is worth checking FIFA's local partners - a full list is published on the official website.

The 2026 World Cup is just starting. And if the opening really lives up to the promised scale - the next five weeks will be phenomenal.

Mexico, USA, Canada - three countries, three continental adventures, and millions of fans from around the world who are heading to the greatest football celebration in history. If you are planning a trip to the 2026 World Cup matches or are simply traveling this summer - insurance protection is a must-have item on your packing checklist.

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Photo - generated by Gemini