Today, June 11, at the "Estadio Banorte" stadium in the capital of Mexico, Mexico City, the official opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup began, which is taking place in three countries - the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The ceremony started an hour and a half before the opening match of the World Cup, where one of the host countries - Mexico - will play against the South African national team, UNN reports.
22:07
The 2026 World Cup has officially begun.
21:50
Legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli, world-famous DJ David Guetta, and three-time Grammy Award winner Megan Thee Stallion performed the official anthem of the FIFA World Cup 2026 - "DNA".
21:45
The second opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup has begun in Mexico City.
21:10
The head coaches have already decided on the starting lineups for the match.
Mexico: Rangel – Gallardo, Vásquez, Montes, Reyes – Lira, Fidalgo, Gutiérrez – Quiñones, Jiménez, Alvarado.
Substitutes: Acevedo, Ochoa, Sánchez, M. Chávez, Ed. Álvarez, L. Chávez, Romo, Vargas, Pineda, Mora, Vega, S. Jiménez, González, Martínez, Huerta.
South Africa: Williams – Mudau, Mbokazi, Sibisi, Okon, Modiba – Mokoena, Sithole – Adams – Foster, Rayners
Substitutes: Chaine, Goss, Matuludi, Sebelebele, Ndamane, Mahanya, Kabini, Cross, Mbatha, Moremi, Mofokeng, Zwane, Maseko, Appollis, Makgopa.
21:00
The opening ceremony was concluded by Colombian pop diva Shakira along with Burna Boy, who performed "Dai Dai" live - the official song of this year's World Cup.
20:40
"We are a nation of diverse heritage and pride. Football has that same core – it unites nations," said the announcer at the opening ceremony, which began 10 minutes late.
20:30
Around 20:00, the stadium gates opened for fans. Thousands of fans are arriving at the arena to witness the start of the World Cup. More than 80,000 spectators are expected to gather in the stands of the legendary stadium (the stadium has a capacity of 87,523).
As UNN previously reported, the headliner of the ceremony will be Colombian pop diva Shakira, who, together with the famous Nigerian artist Burna Boy, will perform "Dai Dai" live - the official song of this year's World Cup.
Popular Latin American and international artists will join the performance: Colombian J Balvin, South African singer Tyla, as well as Mexican stars - Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Lila Downs, and the bands Maná and Los Angeles Azules.
The visual and artistic part of the show is the responsibility of the famous Italian producer Marco Balich. The ceremony in Mexico City will be full of Mexican traditions; in particular, the audience will see elements of the national paper art papel picado.
According to media reports, the ceremony in Mexico City is expected to last about 16 minutes and 30 seconds. After the performances conclude, the pitch will be handed over to the teams for pre-match warm-ups. Then, 25 minutes before kick-off, ceremonies including the players' entrance onto the field and the official presentation will begin, which are expected to last about 13 minutes.