The 2026 FIFA World Cup starts today, and for the first time in tournament history, the opening ceremony is happening three times across three different countries. Not a relay broadcast. Three separate live productions, three cities, two days, three lineups built around the culture of each host nation.
Mexico kicks it off right now. The United States and Canada follow tomorrow. Then 38 days of group stage, knockouts, and the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19 — where Madonna, Shakira, and BTS will headline the first halftime show in World Cup Final history.
Here is every time, every venue, and every performer across all three ceremonies.
Opening Ceremony 1: Mexico City — Today, June 11, 1:30 PM ET
The first ceremony takes place at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, 90 minutes before Mexico vs. South Africa kicks off at 3 PM ET.
Shakira and Burna Boy perform the tournament’s official song, “Dai Dai,” live for the first time. The full Mexico lineup: Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, and Tyla.
The ceremonies were designed by Italian producer Marco Balich, who also created the opening ceremony for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Each ceremony runs approximately 30 minutes of musical performance alongside the traditional flag parade, match ball presentation, and welcoming remarks. The unifying theme across all three is “the celebration of sports, the passion for soccer, symbolized by the cup itself,” per Balich, who described his approach as narrating “with three points of view and languages.”
Where to watch: FOX and FS1 in English. Tubi is simulcasting the Mexico ceremony free.
Opening Ceremony 2: Canada — June 12, 1:30 PM ET
Canada’s ceremony takes place at BMO Field in Toronto, 90 minutes before Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina at 3 PM ET.
Alanis Morissette sings the Canadian national anthem. Full Canada lineup: Alessia Cara, Michael Bublé, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream, and William Prince. Actor and comedian Will Arnett will also appear in the pre-match ceremony.
Where to watch: FOX and FS1 in English.
Opening Ceremony 3: United States — June 12, 7:30 PM ET
The US ceremony takes place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, 90 minutes before the United States vs. Paraguay, which kicks off at 9 PM ET.
Katy Perry headlines. The full US lineup: Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema, and Tyla.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the US ceremony as representing “the extraordinary scale of what the FIFA World Cup 2026 will become,” calling the performer lineup a reflection of “the cultural diversity of the United States and the vibrancy of its many diasporas.”
Where to watch: FOX and FS1 in English. Tubi is simulcasting the US ceremony free.
The Full Tournament: What You Actually Need to Know
The 2026 World Cup runs June 11 through July 19, spread across 16 cities — 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, two in Canada — with 48 teams competing, the first edition at this expanded format.
The final is July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. FIFA has confirmed a halftime show at the final — the first in World Cup Final history — headlined by Madonna, Shakira, and BTS. Shakira performing at both the Mexico opening ceremony today and the final on July 19 makes her the bookend act of the entire tournament.
The group stage runs through June 26. Round of 32 begins June 27. Quarterfinals land July 4 and 5. Semifinals July 8 and 9. The third-place match is July 17, two days before the final.
The Scale Problem Nobody Is Talking About
Forty-eight teams is 16 more than any previous World Cup. The additional teams created 104 total group-stage matches across the three host countries, which means the schedule operates less like a traditional tournament bracket and more like a traveling festival that happens to have elimination stakes attached.
The three-ceremony format reflects that scale directly. No single venue could anchor an opening that spans three nations and six confederation representatives. Marco Balich building three independent productions rather than one televised spectacle was the only honest creative response to what this tournament actually is — the biggest World Cup in history by every measurable metric, staged in three countries simultaneously, starting today at Estadio Azteca and ending 38 days later in New Jersey.
Sources
- FIFA Official: FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule, Host Cities, and Tournament News
- FOX Sports: Where to Watch the World Cup 2026 Matches & Ceremonies Live
- Tubi TV: Free World Cup 2026 Ceremonies Stream & Highlights
About the Author
Your 40-year-old uncle who watched every World Cup since 1990, owns three different national team jerseys, and has already mapped out every US group stage match on a laminated bracket taped to his refrigerator.
