Maná to Open 2026 World Cup in Mexico

Mexican rock band Maná is set to open the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking a "unprecedented moment" in their career, according to frontman Fher Olvera. The band will perform an original two-minute song during the opening ceremony on June 11 at the Estadio Ciudad de México. Olvera expressed hope that the event, watched by billions, will serve to "promote peace" amidst global wars and conflicts.

"A very Mexican, very pre-Hispanic staging will be done... with brutal choreographies and elements. I don't think an event like this has ever been done in Mexico, in this way and of this magnitude on the field. It will be a delight for Mexicans and the whole world," Olvera told EFE. Mexico is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with the United States and Canada.

Olvera, a football fan, previously composed "El gladiador mexicano" in 2018 as a support anthem for Mexico during the World Cup in Russia. For the 2026 tournament, he sees it as an opportunity to "promote peace through sport," citing recent conflicts. "Football vindicates all these causes. Here there is unity for the same idea, the same ideology of having fun and healing the heart and spirit," he stated.

The band also aims to "reclaim Latin culture in the United States and the world," following in the footsteps of artists like Bad Bunny. Maná has consistently prioritized performing in Spanish, never accepting the need to create songs in English or "Spanglish" to reach a wider market. "We were never forced to enter that market. We have always been happy to transmit the stories of Latin America," Olvera said.