The 2026 World Cup will be held in three countries for the first time—Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total of 48 national teams will compete in the tournament, which is also a record in the history of the World Cup. A total of 104 matches are scheduled to take place in 16 cities across North America. The final will be held on July 19 at a stadium in New York/New Jersey.
Music, entertainment, and Mexican culture
The opening ceremony began an hour and a half before kickoff and was dedicated to the culture of Mexico and Latin America. The show featured Colombian singer Shakira, Nigerian artist Burna Boy, Mexican band Maná, singers Alejandro Fernández and Belinda, as well as J Balvin, Tyla, Danny Ocean, Lila Downs, and Los Ángeles Azules.
During the ceremony, the official World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” was performed by Andrea Bocelli and Korean singer EJAE.
The organizers emphasized Mexico’s national traditions, folklore, music, and visual imagery associated with the country’s history.
Fans from Moldova carrying their national flag were spotted at the legendary Azteca Stadium before the match (pictured).
In the opening match, the tournament hosts—the Mexican national team—defeated South Africa 2-0, scoring one goal in each half.
Another record was set in this match, though not a particularly pleasant one. For the first time, a World Cup final tournament began with three red cards in the very first match. Two players from the South African national team were sent off early, and at the end of the match, the Mexican captain, César Montes of Moscow’s Dynamo, also received a red card.
