Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium is ready to host its third World Cup opening match this Thursday under the spell of Colombian singer Shakira, who will headline a star-studded ceremony.
Unlike the solemnity of the school parades and the 16 teams that participated in the 1970 World Cup, or the exaltation of the national folklore that was exhibited in the 1986 World Cup, for this 2026, a show of great dimensions has been prepared.
Global luminaries will get the more than 80,000 fans who fill the venue and the millions who watch it on the various digital and electronic platforms dancing.
The central figure of one of the most ambitious opening ceremonies in World Cup history will be Shakira, with a new anthem called ‘Dai Dai’, together with Nigerian singer Burna Boy.
This is not the first time that the Latin pop star has been the star of the show at the World Cup.
Shakira conquered the world with her participation in the closing ceremony of the 2006 World Cup in Germany thanks to her version of ‘Hips don’t lie-Bamboo’, a success that she boosted with her rhythmic ‘Waka Waka’ in South Africa 2010, a trend that continued with the interpretation of ‘La La La’ in the closing ceremony of Brazil 2014 and now she will extend with her catchy ‘Dai Dai’.
The history of the most emblematic World Cup anthems began with the emotional ‘Un’estate italiana’, which was performed by Gianna Nannini and Edoardo Bennato at the 1990 World Cup in Italy and had its sublime moment at the last World Cup of the last century, in France 1998, when Puerto Rican Ricky Martin gave voice to ‘La Copa de la vida’, an anthem that was decisive for Latin artists to become frequent protagonists in these FIFA events.
The constellation of celebrities that will accompany the ‘Loba’ this Thursday continues with Mexican regional music legend Alejandro Fernández, who will sing the national anthem of his country.
They will be joined by Maná, considered one of the most influential Latin rock and pop bands in history; Lila Downs, known for mixing jazz with Mexican folklore; Los Ángeles Azules and Belinda.
The lineup is completed with the urban and reggaeton rhythms of Colombian J Balvin, Ryan Castro, the music of Venezuelan Danny Ocean and the sounds of South African Tyla, who will perform her country’s anthem.
The union of these talents will give the ceremony a sense of inclusion and diversity using massive choreographies that will represent the union of the peoples of North America and 48 competing teams.
The inauguration will be crowned with the presence of Mexican Hollywood star Salma Hayek, who will be the ambassador of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A plural spectacle for the most global fair in history, the first with 48 participating national teams, in a packed Azteca Stadium which, with the Mexico-South Africa match, can boast of being the only stadium to have hosted three World Cup openings, reported Agencia EFE.
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