The soccer World Cup kicked off on Thursday in Mexico City at the famous Estadio Azteca with a grand ceremony dedicated to Mexican culture and the global spirit of the competition. The show preceded the first match of the tournament, Mexico – South Africa, played in an electrifying atmosphere, against the backdrop of protests in the Mexican capital.
Ciudad de Mexico became, on Thursday, the center of world football. Estadio Azteca, one of the most important stadiums in the history of the World Cup, hosted the opening ceremony of the tournament in a spectacular setting built around pre-Hispanic culture, Latin music and global symbols of football.
The ceremony began with a tribute to Mexican traditions. The ground was transformed into a huge stage, populated by artists and dancers, while a large golden trophy was placed at the center of the show. It was Lila Downs who officially opened the artistic moment, welcoming the audience in Spanish and English and sending a welcome message to fans from all over the world.
Many spectators came with sombreros, mariachi costumes and trumpets
The first part of the ceremony emphasized the identity of Mexico, but also the idea of unity, in a tournament that gathers, for the first time, 48 national teams. The atmosphere at the Azteca was completed by fans dressed in green, many of them wearing sombreros, mariachi costumes and trumpets, turning the stands into a sea of color and noise.
Important names of Latin music then took the stage. Venezuelan Danny Ocean performed “Partidazo”, a song included on the official album of the tour, accompanied by dancers from Ballet Folklórico de México. His moment combined Latin pop, reggaeton and electronic influences in a number specially designed for the energy of a stadium before the first whistle of the competition.
Next came the Mexican band Maná, who brought the audience to their feet with their hit “Oye Mi Amor”. Frontman Fher Olvera, dressed in a long red trench coat, led the evening’s rock moment, and the audience sang along with the band from the first chords.
Belinda and Los Ángeles Azules brought a mix of pop and cumbia to the stage, performing ‘Por Ella’, a track created for the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album. Belinda appeared in a hot pink outfit, while the members of Los Ángeles Azules wore gold suits, in a moment that continued the festive and colorful streak of the ceremony.
A novel episode of the show was the appearance of the Labubu characters, which have become viral in recent years. Two mascots dressed as fluffy monsters entered the field in football jerseys, one with pompoms and the other with a bucket of popcorn. Afterwards, the two held up a plush replica of the World Cup trophy together, in a moment that drew immediate reaction from the audience.
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The ceremony continued with J Balvin teaming up with Ryan Castro for a reggaeton medley. The Colombian artist opened the set with “Que Calor,” then performed “Una A La Vez” with Castro before closing with “I Like It,” his famous collaboration with Cardi B and Bad Bunny.
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One of the most anticipated moments of the evening was the appearance of Shakira. The Colombian artist took the stage after J Balvin and performed “Dai Dai” alongside Burna Boy. Shakira sang, danced and led the choreography with her dancers before Burna Boy joined her for his part of the song. The end of the moment was greeted with a standing ovation as pyrotechnic effects lit up the stadium.
After the artistic moments, the ceremony moved into a more formal area. The flags of the three host countries, Mexico, the United States and Canada, were flown onto the pitch, marking the shared character of the 2026 World Cup.
This was followed by the performance of the competition’s official anthem, “DNA”, by Andrea Bocelli and EJAE, a member of the “K-Pop Demon Hunters” project. The song also features David Guetta and Megan Thee Stallion, who were not present at the event. Bocelli previously said that participating in the opening ceremony of the World Cup is a special honor for him, especially by returning to Ciudad de Mexico, a city he said has always welcomed him with great warmth.
World Cup ambassador actress Salma Hayek spoke to fans in Spanish
Another highlight of the evening was the appearance of Salma Hayek Pinault. The actress, ambassador of the World Cup, entered the field before the Mexico – South Africa match and greeted the fans in Spanish. She spoke about Mexico’s honor of opening the tournament and the role of the three host countries in welcoming the 48 participating nations.
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After Salma Hayek’s message, the parade of the flags of all the teams qualified for the World Cup began on the pitch, in a moment that underlined the global dimension of the competition.
The celebration ended with the anthems of the two teams that opened the tournament. Alejandro Fernández performed Mexico’s national anthem, dressed in a traditional black mariachi costume with gold trim. “Mexicanos, al grito de guerra” rang out at Azteca, sung in unison by the artist, players and tens of thousands of Mexican fans.
Tyla then performed the South African national anthem. As the South African flag was raised in the stadium, the players hugged and sang along with the artist in an emotional moment ahead of the first match of the World Cup.
After a show built on music, tradition, color and global symbols, the ball took center stage. Mexico and South Africa opened the competition at the Estadio Azteca, where Ciudad de Mexico kicked off a new edition of the most watched sports tournament on the planet.
