Afrobeats sensation Burna Boy and Colombian pop icon Shakira electrified the crowd at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony, held Thursday at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca.
Their high-energy performance had spectators on their feet ahead of the tournament’s opening match between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa.
This year, the expanded 48-team tournament is also hosted by the United States and Canada, promising a record 104 games before culminating in the final in New Jersey on July 19.
The ceremony dazzled with dancers swirling around a giant replica of the World Cup trophy, as fireworks lit up the newly renovated 80,000-seat stadium—already steeped in history as the venue for the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals. The highlight came when Shakira and Burna Boy took the stage to perform “Dai Dai,” the official song of the tournament, drawing thunderous applause from the crowd. Other stars, including J Balvin and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, also took part, building the excitement to a fever pitch before kickoff.
It’s already a party in Mexico, said 40-year-old fan Ingrid Orozco. “It’s amazing,” added Gustavo Ramírez, 19.
Outside the stadium, however, chaos erupted in downtown Mexico City as thousands of fans jostled to enter the official World Cup fan zone at Zocalo plaza just before the scheduled 1800 GMT kickoff. Access was complicated by metal barriers installed to keep protesting teachers away from the area. “Stop pushing and shoving, there are children here, you’re like animals!” a city official pleaded through a megaphone, trying to restore order as the opening game was broadcast on a giant screen. Some fans responded by throwing water bottles and shouting both at police and in support of the Mexican team.
It’s crazy. There could have been better organization,” said 25-year-old fan Javier Maciel. Authorities later declared the fan zone full and advised supporters to seek alternative locations. President Claudia Sheinbaum, who had been expected to attend, reconsidered her appearance due to ongoing teacher protests in the area.
(Adapted from AFP reporting)
