For the first time in the 96-year history of the FIFA World Cup, the opening ceremonies will take place in three different countries, marking a historic change in tradition.
Unlike previous editions where even co-hosted tournaments such as the 2002 World Cup held a single opening ceremony in Seoul, South Korea this time the event is being a trilogy of celebrations across the host countries.
The United States, Mexico, and Canada are jointly hosting the tournament, and each nation will stage its own separate opening celebration in different cities.
The opening ceremonies will begin with the first event at the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11 at 11:30 pm Bangladesh time. The second ceremony is scheduled for June 12 at 11:30 pm at BMO Field in Toronto. The final celebration will take place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 13 at 5:30 am Bangladesh time.
Each ceremony is scheduled to begin 90 minutes prior to the host nation’s opening match.
Opening ceremonies, once considered a modest part of the World Cup, gained global attention after Shakira’s iconic “Waka Waka” performance at the 2010 South Africa World Cup. Even earlier, in 1994, legendary singer Diana Ross’s penalty kick performance became memorable, but Shakira’s show remains one of the most iconic moments in World Cup entertainment history. She is also expected to perform at this year’s ceremonies.
Although hosted in three cities, the central theme remains the same: celebrating combining music, cultural performances, and football to highlight each country’s unique identity while also celebrating the unity of the expanded global tournament.
In Mexico City, indigenous performances, folk arts, and traditional crafts will highlight Mexican culture. The official World Cup song “Day Day” will be performed by Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy.
Artists featured in the official World Cup music collection will also appear on stage, including Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, and South African singer-songwriter Tyla.
Mexico City has also implemented special preparations for the event, including declaring a public holiday, closing educational institutions, and instructing government employees to work from home. The ceremony there is expected to last 16-17 minutes, while those in Toronto and Los Angeles will last around 13 minutes each.
Toronto’s program will feature a special countdown segment highlighting Canada’s historic moments. Performers include Alessia Cara,Alyanna,Jessie Reyez,Michael Bublé, Bollywood’s Nora Fatehi,SanjoyVegedream, William Prince.
The Los Angeles ceremony will showcase large-scale visual technology and narrative-driven performances. Featured performers include Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema, and Tyla.
Marco Balich serves as the producer of this year’s opening ceremonies. He has previously masterminded several Olympic opening ceremonies. Although each event will have its own atmosphere and character, all three ceremonies will unite around a single central theme: football’s unique ability to bring people together beyond differences and connect them through a shared passion.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
