Shakira, the ceremony's most anticipated star, prompted thousands of cheering spectators in the stadium to rise as she appeared. The singer wore a yellow shirt, reminiscent of her home country Colombia's national team uniform. Spanish publication Los40 hailed Shakira's performance with Bruna Boy as one of the opening ceremony's standout acts. "Shakira electrified the stage with her characteristic dance moves, hip shakes, and hair flips," Page Six reported.

An excerpt of Shakira performing at the World Cup opening. *Video: YouTube FIFA*.

However, The National News noted that while Shakira commanded the stage and performed well, her new track, "Dai Dai", did not quite match her previous World Cup anthems. The publication stated, "This season's official song is not a second Waka Waka – a track that fully conveyed joy and excitement at the 2010 South Africa opening ceremony. While well-produced, this song feels more suited for a studio than a stadium."

Shakira (second from left) and Bruna Boy. *Photo: Reuters*.

Beyond the opening ceremony, Shakira is scheduled to perform during halftime at the World Cup final on 19/7, held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, US. Fans anticipate her singing classic hits such as Waka Waka or Hips Don't Lie.

FIFA promoted the opening ceremony as a celebration of Mexican culture, showcasing "music, dance, and art, with indigenous talents and contemporary folk artists." The circular stage featured a giant World Cup trophy model at its center, drawing inspiration from *papel picado* – a traditional Mexican paper-cutting art frequently seen at festivals and community events.

Singer Lila Downs initiated the ceremony with a performance steeped in local identity, featuring dancers in traditional Mexican attire. Downs sang in Spanish, English, and Mixtec, a language from the southern Mexican state of her birth. "People around the world, welcome to Mexico!" Downs exclaimed.

Venezuelan star Danny Ocean performed "Partidazo", a track from the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album. Dancers from Ballet Folclorico de Mexico, the legendary troupe founded by choreographer Amalia Hernandez in the 1950s, supported his act. Clad in a red suit, Ocean energized the stadium with reggaeton melodies before the Mexican band Los Angeles Azules took the stage. Billboard reported that Los Angeles Azules and pop star Belinda further elevated the festive atmosphere with "Por Ella", another track from the World Cup 2026 music album. The audience applauded enthusiastically as the artists performed melodies rooted in Mexico and Latin America.

J Balvin performing at the event. *Photo: AP*.

Colombian superstar J Balvin delivered performances of "Que Calor" and then "Una a la Vez" alongside fellow countryman Ryan Castro. His set also featured two giant Labubu figures, drawing significant attention. Labubu is a global cultural phenomenon in collectible toys and fashion.

The national anthem performances by the two opening match participants also evoked strong emotions. Mexican traditional music star Alejandro Fernandez performed his country's national anthem, with 87,000 spectators at Estadio Ciudad de Mexico singing along. Tyla then sang the South African national anthem. Billboard praised her performance as excellent, noting it stirred pride for her home team. Tyla received considerable applause from both South African and Mexican audiences.

This year's World Cup uniquely features three opening ceremonies, hosted by the three co-host nations. The Canadian ceremony on 12/6 included performances by Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Alyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Buble, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, and Vegedream. The US ceremony on 13/6 will feature Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema, and Tyla.

By Thanh Thanh (Sources: Billboard, The National News)