On 8/5, FIFA announced the artists who will perform before kickoff at the opening matches hosted by the three co-host nations of the 2026 World Cup: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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Katy Perry (right) and Lisa are two of the top artists participating in the 2026 World Cup opening ceremonies. |
Artists performing at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony in the United States.
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Artists performing at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony in Canada.
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Artists performing at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico.
The opening ceremonies are scheduled to begin approximately 90 minutes before kickoff for each match. The program in Mexico is set to last about 16 minutes 30 seconds, while the performances in the United States and Canada will be about 13 minutes long.
For the match between Canada and Bosnia in Toronto on 12/6, the performing singers will be Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Buble, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream, and William Prince.
On the same day, the United States national team will face Paraguay at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles. Katy Perry has been selected as the main artist for the event. Other stars participating include rapper Future, Anitta, Rema, Tyla, and notably, Lisa, a member of Blackpink.
Meanwhile, Mexico will play its opening match against South Africa at Azteca Stadium on 11/6. The opening ceremony will feature Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Tyla, and the groups Los Angeles Azules and Mana.
FIFA is also preparing special activities to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States' Declaration of Independence on 4/7/2026. Two round of 16 matches in Philadelphia and Houston will feature tribute ceremonies themed "America 250".
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President Donald Trump has recently promoted the "America 250" commemorative campaign, which includes establishing a White House task force and encouraging sports events to align with this initiative. In an interview with The Athletic last December, Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House's 2026 World Cup task force, called the World Cup "a tremendous opportunity to showcase 250 years of American history."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino reportedly maintains a close relationship with Trump. He attended the US President's inauguration and accompanied him on trips to Qatar and Saudi Arabia last May.
In addition to the three initial opening ceremonies, FIFA will also organize an opening program and halftime show for the World Cup final on 19/7 at MetLife Stadium, though the artists' identities have not yet been announced.
Compiled by Hong Duy
