FIFA unveils three opening ceremonies for World Cup 2026

The tournament, scheduled to begin on June 11, will open in Mexico City, marking start of the biggest World Cup in history in terms of participating teams and global reach

ZURICH: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-May 9th, 2026) The FIFA has announced that it will organise separate opening ceremonies in each of the three host nations ahead of the start of World Cup 2026, which will be jointly hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States.

The tournament, scheduled to begin on June 11, will open in Mexico City, marking the start of the biggest World Cup in history in terms of participating teams and global reach.

In Mexico, the opening event will feature performances by acclaimed Mexican band Maná alongside artists Alejandro Fernández and Belinda. FIFA said the ceremony will showcase Mexican cultural heritage, including indigenous and contemporary folkloric performances.

Canada will host its opening celebrations in Toronto on June 12, ahead of its group-stage match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The programme will include performances by Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé, Alessia Cara, William Prince, and DJ Sanjoy.

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FIFA added that the ceremony will feature a “mosaic-inspired” artistic tribute to the World Cup trophy, reflecting Canada’s cultural diversity.

In the United States, the opening ceremony will be held in Los Angeles before the US team faces Paraguay. American pop star Katy Perry will headline the event, which will also feature performances by Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla. FIFA described the US ceremony as a large-scale production designed to reflect the global importance and entertainment value of the tournament.

FIFA said the decision to hold separate ceremonies aims to highlight the cultural identity of each host nation while marking the start of a historic edition of the competition.

The World Cup 2026 will be only the second time the tournament is co-hosted by multiple countries, following the 2002 edition staged in South Korea and Japan.