Shakira officially opened the 2026 World Cup on Thursday as the football extravaganza kicked off against a backdrop of chaos that threatens to derail the tournament.
The biggest World Cup in history has officially arrived in North America with thousands of fans descending on the United States, Canada and Mexico to watch their beloved teams in action.
In a repeat of the opening match from 2010, Mexico kickstarted the blockbuster tournament against South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday.
Yet, before the first whistle was even blown, fans were treated to an eye-catching display of action.
Shakira and Burna Boy performed Dai Dai, the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to headline the opening ceremony.
In a spectacle of color and sound, hundreds of dancers joined the Colombian singer, who turned heads in a neon yellow bodysuit and white miniskirts, on the stage at the center of the field.
Shakira officially kicked off the 2026 World Cup in a star-studded opening ceremony
The Colombian joined Burna Boy to perform Dai Dai the official song of the 2026 World Cup
Thousands of fans went wild inside the Azteca as Shakira, who also recorded the official anthem for the 2010 World Cup, shimmied her hips amid the sea of backup dancers.
She lit up the arena with her signature dance moves and trademark high-energy as she was joined by a traditional Mexican mariachi band.
A massive gold replica of the World Cup trophy erupted from the ground at the center of the stage as the stream of dancers in brightly colored outfits burst out alongside the statue.
The jam-packed show also featured performances from Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Angeles Azules, Mana and Tyla – all of whom featured on the first-ever FIFA World Cup album.
Shakira’s fellow Colombian, rapper J Balvin, was one of the biggest headlining acts at the ceremony, strutting on stage before Shakira’s appearance.
J Balvin, one of the biggest artists in Latin America, performed alongside singer Ryan Castro after Mexican pop-rock legends Mana warmed up the home crowd with their classic hits.
A stream of Mexican fans descended on the famous stadium hours before kickoff to celebrate their nation hosting the World Cup for a record third time.
They transformed the Azteca into a spectacle of color, dressing in red and green from head to toe.
Shakira lights up the iconic Estadio Azteca with her signature moves amid a sea of dancers
As the duo perform, a giant World Cup trophy replica erupts from center stage
The singer wows in a neon yellow bodysuit and white miniskirt and sunglasses
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Many sported eye-catching outfits, donning extravagant headdresses, sequined sombreros and luchador masks.
Those not fortunate enough to have gotten their hands on one of the eye-wateringly expensive tickets piled into the fan zone in the Zócalo plaza in the historic district of Mexico City.
However, chaotic scenes broke out at the free admission fan park just over an hour before kickoff.
Access to the fan fest in Zócalo plaza was hampered by metal barriers erected in recent days to prevent protesting teachers from reaching the area. But thousands of fans attempted to shove their way into the fan zone, according to AFP.
‘Stop pushing and shoving, there are children here, you’re like animals!’ a city official shouted through a megaphone as he tried to control access to the fan venue.
Some fans threw water bottles and hurled insults at police, as well as chanting in support of the Mexican team.
The local government announced on social media that the site was ‘full’ and suggested fans go to other plazas.
Meanwhile, while fans around the world were stunned by Shakira’s performance, viewers in the United States were furious when Fox, the official American broadcaster of the World Cup, failed to show the ceremony on its live coverage.
Mexican actress Salma Hayek was tasked with declaring the tournament open
Hayek, a FIFA ambassador, was later seen in the stands with FIFA President Gianni Infantino
A stream of dancers in brightly colored outfits burst out alongside the statue
Other dancers were dressed in gold tracksuits and helmets as the paraded around footballs
Instead, American fans tuning in to catch the high-octane performance were forced to listen to analysis from the network’s panel of Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas.
It is unclear why the network decided to shun Shakira’s performance but Telemundo, the Spanish-language carrier of the tournament, broadcast the entire show.
Meanwhile, the US and Canada will host their own opening ceremonies ahead of their first games on Friday.
Canada will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening clash in a freshly transformed BMO Field in Toronto.
The stadium has expanded from 28,000 seats to 45,000 in preparation for the World Cup crowd.
And it will serve as the stage for Canada’s celebratory bash as the nation serves up some of the greatest talent that the Great White North has to offer.
Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez and Michael Buble, among others, will take to the stage before the tournament begins north of the border.
The USA’s opening ceremony will take place on the same day, with the USMNT also getting their campaign underway on Friday.
A performer in a colorful tradition Mayan headdresses takes to the stage
A stream of Mexican fans descended on the famous stadium hours before kickoff
Many sported eye-catching outfits, donning headdresses, sombreros and luchador masks
The Stars and Stripes take on Paraguay in Los Angeles as they begin their first home World Cup since 1994.
Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla headline the pregame festivities in the City of Angels.
However, the build-up to kick-off has been dominated by a series of off-field controversies involving politics, cost, security and logistics ahead of the largest World Cup in history.
Mexico City itself encapsulates that contrast. There is pride in the country becoming the first to host World Cup matches across three separate tournaments following the 1970 and 1986 editions.
But behind that football excitement, there is a mix of genuine tension, with large-scale protests taking place across the capital.
The most visible demonstrations have come from members of the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educacion, a teachers’ union protesting over pay, pensions and labor reforms.
Elsewhere, environmental and human rights groups, including Greenpeace, have staged protests about the environmental impact of a World Cup spanning 16 host cities and three countries.
Sections of the Mexican public are also unhappy about the costs associated with co-hosting the tournament when deep-rooted societal and economic issues remain unresolved. Some have argued the event primarily benefits wealthier sections of society, rather than the general population.
The build-up to the opening clash has been marred by numerous protests in Mexico City
A teachers’ union is protesting over pay, pensions and labour reforms in Mexico City
There has been an increased security presence around the Estadio Azteca amid the chaos
Meanwhile, the United States has also been rocked by controversy in the build-up to the tournament amid outrage over the Trump administration’s visa policies.
Visa and entry issues have provided another source of controversy, with several fans, journalists and even officials having reportedly encountered problems obtaining visas or entering the US.
The most high-profile individual affected was Somali referee Omar Artan, regarded as one of Africa’s leading officials.
Despite being selected for the tournament, Artan was removed from FIFA’s list of referees after American authorities denied him entry upon arrival at Miami International Airport.
An official within the Donald Trump administration claimed this was due to Artan’s alleged ‘association with suspected members of terror organizations.’
Speaking to the New York Times, Artan said: ‘I am very, very disappointed. I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.’
Somalia is among the countries included on Trump’s travel ban list. Last month, he described Somali immigrants in the US as ‘all crooks,’ having previously labeled the African nation as ‘the worst country in the world’ in January.
The travel restrictions have attracted particular attention because they also affect qualified nations. Haiti and Iran are subject to full restrictions, while Ivory Coast and Senegal face partial restrictions.
The tournament has been rocked by controversy in the buildup over Donald Trump’s visa policies
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended FIFA’s handling of the various issues on Wednesday
The issue has brought geopolitical tensions into the World Cup. Iraq national team photographer Talal Salah was denied entry to the US, while the Iranian Football Federation claimed their allocation of tickets for fans had been revoked.
They added that some officials were denied visas, and Iran’s team is now required to enter and leave the US on matchdays.
As a result, Iran switched their base from Arizona to Mexico shortly before the tournament, disrupting preparations.
The accumulation of these issues has led to some observers describing this World Cup as the most politically charged in history, despite FIFA’s attempts to position it as a unifying global event.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino claimed last year that ‘fans from all over the world will be welcome’ and only attracted more attention when pressed on visa problems, travel restrictions and ticket prices on Wednesday.
While defending FIFA’s handling of the situation, he argued that immigration decisions rest with governments rather than the governing body.
He similarly backed the ticket prices and claimed no one else would have been able to secure Iran’s participation at the tournament given their conflict with the US.
He also urged his critics to ‘chill’ and ‘relax’.
‘We don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth,’ Infantino said. ‘We have to respect that we are not kings of the world, who can rule over governments and police forces.
‘We are a sports organization that does as much as we can. It’s important sometimes to chill, relax. We work on everything. Sometimes screaming and shouting does not find a solution.’
