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World Cup 2026: Three opening ceremonies to celebrate co-hosts
🇦🇷 Argentina /Sports

World Cup 2026: Three opening ceremonies to celebrate co-hosts

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature three separate opening ceremonies.
  • Mexico's ceremony will take place at the Estadio Azteca before the opening match between Mexico and South Africa.
  • Other ceremonies will be held in Canada and the United States, featuring international music stars and cultural elements.

The 2026 World Cup, set to be the largest edition in history with 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will kick off with three distinct opening ceremonies, a first for the tournament.

a powerful symbol of tradition, craftsmanship, and joy

— FIFADescribing the 'papel picado' art that will be featured in Mexico's opening ceremony.

Mexico will host the inaugural ceremony at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday, 90 minutes before the opening match between Mexico and South Africa. The event, scheduled for 2:30 PM Argentine time, will feature prominent international music artists from Mexico, including Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, and Tyla. The ceremony aims to express Aztec culture through the art of "papel picado," a symbol of tradition and festivity.

Following Mexico's lead, Canada will hold its opening ceremony on Friday, June 12, at Toronto's BMO Field before its national team faces Bosnia-Herzegovina. This ceremony will showcase Canadian culture with performances by stars like Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Michael Bublé, and Nora Fatehi.

a journey through Canada as the countdown presents moments that showcase the country from coast to coast

— FIFADescribing the theme of Canada's opening ceremony.

The United States will host its opening ceremony later that day at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, preceding the match between the US and Paraguay. The event will feature global artists such as Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, and Tyla. The US is a primary host, with a significant number of games scheduled in its venues.

fans in the stadium will be active participants in the show

— FIFADescribing the interactive nature of the ceremonies.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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