Mexico City, Jun 12 (V7N) – The curtain has risen on the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The ceremony began at 11:30 pm Bangladesh time on Thursday, while the tournament officially gets underway at 1:00 am with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa.
The highlight of the spectacular opening ceremony was the performance of the tournament’s official theme song, “Dai Dai,” by global music stars Shakira and Burna Boy.
The celebration also featured a special performance of another official World Cup song, “DNA,” by Andrea Bocelli, David Guetta, Megan Thee Stallion and EJA. Popular Mexican artists and groups, including Maná, Belinda, Lila Downs and Los Ángeles Azules, also entertained the crowd. Legendary mariachi performer Alejandro Fernández delivered a stirring rendition of the Mexican national anthem.
For the first time in the 96-year history of the FIFA World Cup, three nations—United States, Mexico and Canada—are jointly hosting the tournament. In another historic first, three separate opening ceremonies are being staged in three different host cities during the opening phase of the competition.
The opening match also revives memories of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when Mexico and South Africa played out a 1-1 draw in the tournament’s opening fixture. Sixteen years later, the same two nations meet once again to launch football’s biggest spectacle.
Meanwhile, Estadio Azteca has achieved a unique milestone by becoming the first stadium in history to host the opening match of three FIFA World Cups. The iconic venue previously staged opening matches in 1970 and 1986 and remains one of football’s most revered arenas, having witnessed triumphs by legends such as Pelé and Diego Maradona.
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