The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to commence on Thursday with a spectacular opening ceremony in Mexico City, ahead of the tournament's opening match between hosts Mexico and South Africa—a repeat of the 2010 edition's opening clash. For the first time in World Cup history, three separate opening ceremonies will be held across all three host nations—Mexico, Canada, and the United States—making this edition truly one for the ages.
Where and When to Watch in India
The Mexico opening ceremony begins at 10:30 PM IST on June 11 (Thursday night), with the Mexico vs South Africa match kicking off at 12:30 AM IST on June 12. The entire celebration will be streamed live in India on Zee5 and Unite8 Sports. According to bestmediainfo, the ceremony is also expected to be aired on DD Sports, as some World Cup games have been included by the Indian government as part of the "mandatory sharing framework."
Shakira Leads a Star-Studded Lineup of Performers
Global pop icon Shakira will take centre stage at the legendary Estadio Azteca, the only stadium in history to have hosted three World Cups (1970, 1986, and now 2026). She will perform "Dai Dai," the tournament's official song, alongside Grammy-winning Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy, marking the live debut of the anthem on the world stage. In addition to them, South Africa's Tyla and Colombia's J Balvin will also be part of the extravaganza. Mexico's own stars Alejandro Fernandez, Lila Downs, Belinda, Danny Ocean, iconic rock band Maná, and Los Ángeles Azules will bring local flavour to the 90-minute-long show.
The three ceremonies have been produced by Marco Balich, the creative mastermind behind several Olympic opening ceremonies, including this year's Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Canada and US Ceremonies
Canada's ceremony on June 12 will feature Michael Bublé, Alanis Morissette, and India-origin artist Nora Fatehi, while the US ceremony at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles will see Katy Perry, LISA, Rema, Future, and Anitta perform.
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