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The scenes in Mexico City, Toronto & Los Angeles over the last few days have been nothing short of breath-taking.
Football fever instantly spread across North-America to the rest of the world as the flag parade of the 48 competing nations took centre stage. World Cup Ambassador Salma Hayek officially kicked off the event with a welcome speech in Spanish. Mexican singer-songwriter, Lila Downs then welcomed the world in both Spanish and English. A massive replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy beautified the centre of the stadium as fireworks lit up the Mexico City sky to signify the beginning of the historic tournament.
An estimated 1.2 billion viewers worldwide watched the historic joint set of Burna Boy and Shakira who performed the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” for the first time ever. Shakira wore a bright yellow mesh bodysuit with matching fishnet gloves as she opened the set with a choreographed dance alongside a large group of backup dancers. Burna Boy joined her halfway in a light-wash denim outfit. The stage effects were simply mind-blowing.
The pre-match show was taken to another level when Andrea Bocelli and EJAE delivered a live vocal performance of “DNA” (More than a Game). This song about resilience and passion mirrors a pivotal event in his life story. The legendary Italian became completely blind at age 12 when a soccer ball violently hit his face while playing as a goalkeeper. The chorus of the song reinforces the burning desire inside every player at the tournament to win: “We are shooting for the stars, got fire in our hearts/ This is more than just a game, it’s our DNA”
The next day, the festivities continued with a celebration of Canada’s rich cultural heritage in Toronto Stadium. The streets of Vancouver turned into a Sea of red as millions of fans watched the historic event on giant screens as International artists like Alanis Morissette, Michael Buble, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, William Prince and Nore Fatehi entertained.
One of the most beautiful moments of both opening ceremonies was when Alanis Morissette performed the Canadian national anthem and when Tyla sang the South-African national anthem with the Mzanzi Youth Choir – Emotional, powerful, unforgettable…
The tournament started in the United States at the SoFi Stadium (temporarily renamed the Los Angeles Stadium) in Inglewood. The ceremony included a “Hollywood-style” production with eye pleasing visuals on stadium screens as Boeing 737-9 MAX aeroplanes flew over the stadium.
The event also featured elite storytelling that reflected the cultural diversity of the United States as A-list celebrities like Tom Cruise, David Beckham, and Halle Berry added to the Hollywood atmosphere of the captivating curtain-raiser.
What a mind-blowing start to this unique moment in football history!
The three opening ceremonies validated that the words of Andrea Bocelli’s DNA song – We all felt it.
It is more than just a game. Football is in our DNA.
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