Mexico will kick off the 2026 World Cup festivities with an opening ceremony at the renovated Mexico City Stadium. The event promises to bring together elements of music, football, art and Mexican culture in an unprecedented celebration, according to details released by FIFA.
The Mexico City Stadium will make history once again by hosting its third opening ceremony of the World Cup, in an event that promises to be unprecedented, according to information released by FIFA. As in previous editions, the ceremony will be a mix of music, football, art and culture from the host country.
The opening ceremony will begin 90 minutes before the kickoff of the match between Mexico and South Africa and will also serve as the first event in a trilogy of ceremonies that will conclude with their respective openings in Canada and the United States.
The inauguration ceremonies will be produced in collaboration with Balich Wonder Studio and the thematic focus of each is connected by a narrative in which the FIFA World Cup trophy is reinterpreted through the culture of each host country.
In the case of Mexico, the theme will be the art of Papel Picado, a fundamental symbol in the country’s traditions. Interactive public participation is expected during the opening.
The Mexico City Stadium will host the opening ceremony of the World Cup for the third time in its history.
Why are there three opening games and what day do they take place?
The trilogy of opening ceremonies is due to the fact that there will be one for each host country of the 2026 World Cup. The opening ceremony in Mexico will be on Thursday, June 11th, and in the United States and Canada it will be on Friday, June 12th.
Which artists will be present at the opening ceremony in Mexico City?
Among the artists confirmed to perform on June 11th at the Mexico City Stadium are Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules and Maná. Alejandro Fernández will represent Mexico by singing the National Anthem, while Tyla will sing the National Anthem of South Africa. Salma Hayek, ambassador for the 2026 World Cup, will also be present at the ceremony to welcome fans.
What time does the opening ceremony start in Mexico and how long will it last?
The event will start at 11:30 am, Mexico City time (12:30 pm in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Panama | 1:30 pm in Chile | 2:30 pm in Argentina and Uruguay), and fans will be able to enter the stadium four hours before, during which they will be able to enjoy various activities and events. The opening ceremony will last approximately one and a half hours.
Which artists will be performing and when will they debut in the United States?
The opening ceremony in Los Angeles will take place on Friday, June 12, and will be attended by stars such as Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla, among other artists yet to be confirmed. The ceremony, as in Mexico, will begin 90 minutes before the start of the match between the United States and Paraguay, that is, at 4:30 pm, Mexico City time (5:30 pm in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Panama | 6:30 pm in Chile | 7:30 pm in Argentina and Uruguay).
Which artists will be performing and when will they debut in Canada?
As for Canada, the artists confirmed so far are: Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince. The logistics will be the same as in Mexico and the United States; the event will begin 90 minutes before the start of the match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Friday, June 12, at 1:30 pm Mexico City time (2:30 pm in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Panama | 3:30 pm in Chile | 4:30 pm in Argentina and Uruguay).
Will Shakira sing at the Mexico City Stadium opening ceremony?
The Colombian singer, who performs the official song of the 2026 World Cup, ‘Dai Dai’, will be present at the opening ceremony at the Mexico City Stadium, together with Burna Boy.
Where can you watch the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony?
The ceremony, as well as the opening match, can be seen on open television on channels 5 and 7, and also on pay television TUDN and Vix in Mexico. In the USA, the broadcast will be on Fox in English and on Telemundo and Peacock in Spanish, while in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, the ceremony will be available on Disney+ Premium.
Which streets in Mexico City will be closed during the inauguration?
Mexico City authorities have released their mobility strategy to manage the flow of visitors during the 2026 World Cup in the area around the Ciudad de México Stadium. Access to the perimeter will be limited to fans with validated digital tickets, vehicles with FIFA accreditation, local residents with their QR code and emergency and security vehicles.
The roadblocks will form a polygon in which access will be restricted on game days and whose traffic cuts will occur eight to ten hours before the start of the games and end two hours after the end of the event.
The roads that will be closed to vehicle traffic are: Avenida Santa Úrsula, Circuito Azteca, side of Anillo Periférico, Calzada de Tlalpan, Acoxpa, Las Torres, Avenida del Imán and Gran Sur.
How can you get to the opening?
Mexico City’s mobility logistics department has launched the “Last Mile” mobility plan, which covers a designated area around the Ciudad de México Stadium, with the aim of controlling and facilitating the flow of fans. Access to this perimeter is limited to: pedestrians with tickets, vehicles with stadium entry credentials, local residents with proof of residence and, in case of emergency, firefighters, ambulances and police vehicles. It is important to note that there will be no public parking in this area.
Due to restrictions on car circulation, there will be round-trip transport available from strategic points in the city to the stadium, using a park and ride system. Fans will be able to park at locations such as Campo Marte, Santa Fe, Six Flags, Parque Ecológico Xochimilco and Plaza Carso, and then board electric buses bound for CETRAM (Intermodal Transfer Center) in Huipulco. The service will begin four hours before the event and end two hours later. The cost is 500 MXN and can only be paid with the MI card.
There will also be routes departing from Bellas Artes, Chapultepec, Angel of Independence, Sports Palace, Parque México, University Stadium and San Jerónimo. This service, called ‘Ride’, will allow users to board VLT units bound for Santa Úrsula-Santo Tomás and RTP buses bound for CETRAM (Intermodal Transfer Center) in Huipulco. It will operate at the same time as the Park and Ride and will cost 350 pesos per round trip.
Another option will be public bicycle and scooter sharing stations accessible via the ECOBICI app. The starting and finishing points are: Corral Héroes del 47, CE Anillo de Circunvalação, CE Viaducto Tlalpan, CE Skate Park ‘Los Multis’ and Corral General Anaya.
Where will the FIFA Fan Zones be located to watch the opening ceremony?
The FIFA Fan Festival is a space created to bring together local communities and people from around the world who want to celebrate and experience the World Cup in a fantastic atmosphere. These venues combine music, culture and entertainment to complement football. Each host country will have its own FIFA Fan Festival venues.
Mexico
- FIFA Fan Festival Mexico City – Zócalo
- FIFA Fan Festival Monterrey – Parque Fundidora
- FIFA Fan Festival Guadalajara – Plaza Liberación
Canada
- FIFA Fan Festival in Toronto – Fort York National Historic Site
- FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver – 2901 E Hastings S
USA
- FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta – Centennial Olympic Park
- Boston FIFA Fan Festival – City Hall Square
- Dallas-Fair Park FIFA Fan Festival in Dallas
- FIFA Fan Festival in Houston – Central East
- Kansas City FIFA Fan Festival – National WWI Museum and Memorial
- FIFA Fan Festival Los Angeles – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Miami FIFA Fan Festival – Bayfront Park
- FIFA Fan Festival Philadelphia – Lemon Hill Park
What marches or blockades will take place in Mexico City on June 11?
Eight demonstrations are planned, the main one being organized by the National Coordination of Education Workers (CNTE), a group of 100,000 teachers who have been putting pressure on the government in recent days. Farmers’ and teachers’ organizations declared that they will block the main access roads to the Mexico City Stadium, such as Avenida Tlalpan and Avenida Periférico.
Will there be classes on the opening day of the World Cup?
The Head of Government, Clara Brugada, officially announced that next Thursday, June 11, there will be no school activities at pre-school, primary and secondary levels across the country.
Will there be a ‘Ministry of the Interior’ on the opening day of the World Cup?
The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced during her morning press conference that a decree had been published in the Official Gazette of the Federation, modifying work activities in public bodies and urging the private sector to comply with it during the opening day of the tournament.