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🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates /Sports

Fifa World Cup opening ceremony starts in Mexico City

From Gulf Today · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony took place in Mexico City's Estadio Azteca.
  • Colombian star Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy performed the official tournament song.
  • Tickets for the opening match between Mexico and South Africa were in extremely high demand, with most secondary sites selling out hours before kickoff.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicked off with a vibrant opening ceremony at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The event celebrated the start of the 48-team tournament, which is co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

A major highlight of the ceremony was the performance of "Dai Dai," the official song of the tournament, by Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian artist Burna Boy. Their rendition electrified the crowd, setting an energetic tone for the global event.

The opening match, scheduled between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, generated immense excitement, evidenced by the rapid sell-out of tickets. Major secondary ticket platforms reported no availability hours before kickoff, with prices soaring. This scarcity suggests a deliberate FIFA policy to control last-minute ticket transfers, aiming to prevent issues with buyers not receiving tickets in time.

Dai Dai

— Shakira and Burna BoyPerforming the official song of the tournament during the opening ceremony.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Gulf Today. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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