The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicked off Thursday with an opening celebration in Mexico City, bringing together star-studded performances and highly anticipated soccer matchups.
More than 80,000 fans took to the Estadio Azteca stadium, where Colombian pop star Shakira performed at one of the three opening ceremonies.
The 49-year-old was joined on stage by Nigerian artist Burna Boy to perform the official World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” ahead of the first match between Mexico and South Africa. The home team won, 2-0.
Also performing were popular artists J Balvin, Belinda, Alejandro Fernández, Lila Downs, and Danny Ocean, among others.
The tournament will run through July 19 across three host nations: Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The 23rd edition of the event marks the largest so far in history, featuring 48 national teams playing 104 matches throughout 16 cities….
