The FIFA 2026 World Cup is here, and it will be the most important football tournament ever, marking the first time in history that it will open with three spectacular ceremonies, one in each host country in North America.
The festivities kick off on Thursday, June 11, with the official start of the group stage.
The first ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 11, at 1:30 p.m. ET at the legendary Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Scheduled for 90 minutes before kickoff, it will showcase Mexican culture, music, and traditions before the host nation, Mexico, faces South Africa in their first Group A match.
The second Opening Ceremony will be held on Friday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Featuring international superstars like Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema, and Tyla.
Their performances will set the stage for the opening match between the United States and Paraguay.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino commented, “This ceremony in Los Angeles represents the extraordinary scale of what the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be.”
The third ceremony in Canada will take place on Friday, June 12, at 1:30 p.m. ET, completing the three opening ceremonies at BMO Field in Toronto and showcasing Canadian talent. Artists such as Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream, and William Prince will perform before Canada’s first match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
