Curtain up on FIFA World Cup 2026

The biggest football event in history began at Mexico's historic Azteca Stadium. The event officially opened with a colorful ceremony, world-class artist performances, and thousands of spectators cheering. For the first time, three countries—the United States, Canada, and Mexico—are jointly hosting the World Cup, which is being considered a new chapter in football history.

The opening ceremony held at Mexico's famous Azteca Stadium was, in a word, eye-catching. The event, which was created with a combination of light, sound, cultural performances, and technology, became a memorable experience for football fans. There was a festive atmosphere throughout the stadium, where football is not just a game—but a meeting of global cultures and emotions.

The biggest attraction of the opening ceremony was world-famous pop star Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy. They performed the official World Cup song ‘Dai Dai’ together. Their energetic performance instantly filled the stadium gallery with life. The audience became one with the melody, rhythm and dance, which took the entire event to a new height.

In addition, the opening stage became star-studded with the performances of a host of other world-famous artists. Andrea Bocelli, David Guetta, Megan Thee Stallion and EJA took the stage together to perform another hot song ‘DNA’. This performance, made up of a mix of modern music and classical presentations, fascinated the audience and made the entire event more diverse.

Mexico’s own traditions and culture were also highlighted in the opening ceremony. Popular rock band Mana, pop star Belinda, folk singer Lila Downs and traditional cumbia music group Los Angeles Azules spread the colors of Mexican culture throughout the stadium with their performances. Their tunes and performances were highly appreciated by local audiences as well as football fans around the world.

The Mexican national anthem was performed by legendary mariachi artist Alejandro Fernandez. His emotional performance caused the entire stadium to fall silent for a moment, creating a solemn and traditional atmosphere for the event. Reggaeton performances by Venezuelan Danny Ocean, Colombian J Balvin and Ryan Castro also made the event more lively and suitable for young people.

However, the opening ceremony was not limited to Mexico. As co-hosts, Canada and the United States are also holding separate opening ceremonies, further emphasizing the global nature of the World Cup.

The opening ceremony was held in Canada on June 12 at the Toronto Stadium before the Bosnia and Herzegovina match. Nora Fatehi, Michael Bublé, Jessie J Reyes, Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Eliana and Bangladeshi-American DJ Sanjay performed there. Their performances highlighted Canada's multicultural identity and received a huge response from the audience.

On the other hand, another grand opening ceremony was held in Los Angeles on June 13 before the match against Paraguay. There, along with American pop star Katy Perry, rapper Future, Brazilian singer Anita, Blackpink star Lisa, Nigerian Rhema and South African popular artist Tyla took the stage. The event highlighted the cultural diversity of the United States with a mix of modern pop, rap and world music.

Bangladeshi viewers also have a wide opportunity to enjoy this World Cup. The entire tournament, including the opening ceremony, will be broadcast live on Somoy Television. In addition, the matches will be shown on BTV and T-Sports. Viewers can enjoy every moment of the World Cup anytime, anywhere through digital platforms like Toffee, My Robi and Bioscope apps.

The World Cup is not just a battle on the field, but it is now a global cultural festival. This event, which combines music, dance, technology and football, binds the world in one thread. This journey, which started from the Azteca Stadium, will move forward with more excitement, competition and emotion in the coming days, which will become an unforgettable experience for football lovers.