The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin with an unprecedented format: three opening ceremonies held across three host nations over two days, setting the tone for the tournament’s expanded global celebration. Mexico will launch the festivities on Thursday, June 11, 2026, followed by ceremonies in Canada and the United States on Friday, June 12. Each event will combine local and international performers before the first matches in each host country.
The first opening ceremony will take place in Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City at 1:30 p.m. ET, ahead of Mexico’s Group D opener against South Africa. The Mexico lineup includes a wide mix of Latin and international acts, featuring Mexican rock band Maná, singers Alejandro Fernández, Belinda and Lila Downs, cumbia group Los Ángeles Azules, South African singer Tyla, Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy, Colombian artists J Balvin and Shakira, and Venezuelan singer Danny Ocean. The ceremony is designed to reflect the tournament’s multicultural reach and to highlight both regional and global music talent.
Canada will host the second ceremony at Toronto Stadium on Friday, June 12, 2026, also beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET, before Canada’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Canadian ceremony will feature a blend of established and emerging artists from Canada and beyond. Scheduled performers include Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi and William Prince, along with Palestinian singer Elyanna, Bangladeshi-American DJ Sanjoy and French singer Vegedream. The program is expected to showcase Canada’s cultural diversity and the international character of the World Cup.
The final opening ceremony will be held at Los Angeles Stadium in California on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET, before the United States faces Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The U.S. event is billed as the most star-studded of the three and will feature Katy Perry, global K-pop star LISA, Nigerian Afrobeats artist Rema, Brazilian singer Anitta and hip-hop artist Future. The ceremony is intended to provide a major entertainment showcase for the host nation’s opening match.
In the United States, all three ceremonies will air across FOX and FS1, with streaming available on FOX One. Tubi will also simulcast the Mexico and U.S. ceremonies, along with their opening matches, for free. FOX One will carry every one of the tournament’s 104 matches live and on demand, from the opening ceremonies on June 11 through the World Cup final on July 19, 2026, at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The three opening ceremonies mark a historic start to the first FIFA World Cup hosted by three countries, combining sport, music and national identity in a shared kickoff for the 2026 tournament.
