Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy had the spectators out of their seats in the opening ceremony for the 2026 World Cup in the Estadio Azteca on Thursday, ahead of the opening match between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa.
The 48-team tournament is also being hosted by the United States and Canada and will feature 104 games, culminating in the final in New Jersey on July 19.
Dancers twirled around a giant model of the World Cup trophy while fireworks went off in the historic 80,000-capacity stadium, which hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals and has been renovated for this year’s tournament.
In the highlight of the ceremony, Colombian star Shakira and Burna Boy performed “Dai Dai”, the official song of the tournament, bringing roars from the crowd.
J Balvin and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli were among the other performers before kickoff as the noise levels ramped up.
“It’s already a party in Mexico,” Ingrid Orozco, a 40-year-old supporter, told AFP. “It’s amazing,” said Gustavo Ramírez, 19.
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