World Cup kicks off in Mexico with Shakira, local performers and vibrant fans

The 2026 World Cup has begun successful Mexico City with an opening ceremonial filled with vibrant colour, section civilization and a show by planetary euphony prima Shakira.

Thousands of fans arrived astatine the legendary Azteca stadium successful Mexico City with a existent consciousness of excitement and anticipation to ticker the World Cup connected their location turf for the archetypal clip successful 40 years.

It's been a analyzable build-up, from the renovations of the airdrome and Azteca stadium, to protests astir the event, and the cartel unit seen successful Mexico lone months ago.

On Thursday, those issues appeared to person been pushed to the broadside arsenic shot takes centre signifier successful Mexico.

Javier Pérez came with his household for the opener and told the BBC that the excitement present outweighs immoderate hassles experienced up to this point.

"We were fortunate to get hospitality tickets and it's a unsocial experience. I person ne'er been to a World Cup earlier truthful to bring my household is wonderful," helium said.

"I conscionable privation Mexico to get disconnected connected the close foot, triumph contiguous and people a load of goals! And past we'll spot however acold we tin go!"

Mexico is co-hosting the 2026 tourney alongside the US and Canada, with those North American teams hosting their ain opening ceremonies connected Friday.

Today, the absorption is connected Mexico's festivities. Ahead of the co-hosts lucifer against South Africa, fans successful the stadium were treated to philharmonic performances from Shakira, Colombia's J Balvin, Afrobeats prima Burna Boy, Latin euphony prima Danny Ocean and Fher Olvera.

Mexican vocalist Fernández, who is the lad of seasoned crooner Vicente Fernández, sang the Mexican nationalist anthem caput of the match. And Grammy-winning South African prima Tyla performed her nationalist anthem.

Tyla, whose hits see Water and the Fifa opus Game Time, volition instrumentality to the World Cup signifier connected Friday to instrumentality portion successful the US opening ceremonial successful Los Angeles alongside Katy Perry, Future, Lisa and Anitta.

Performers successful the historical stadium wore indigenous clothing, portion others were dressed successful each golden and held elephantine aureate footballs supra their heads.

A packed stadium of fans were dressed successful their ain colourful outfits, galore wearing Mexico's squad colours.

When the opening ceremonial wrapped up and the lucifer got nether way, thousands of fans threw their sombreros into the air, acceptable to observe having the biggest tourney successful shot play retired connected location soil.