FIFA World Cup 2026: Opening Ceremony Details Out! Who's Performing and When to Watch in India?

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is all set to kick off on Thursday at midnight, Indian time, and football fans across the globe are buzzing with excitement. This year is a big one, as it's the first time 48 teams will be competing. The hype is real, even in countries that didn't make it to the finals.

For the first time in its 96-year history, the FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by three countries: the USA, Canada, and Mexico. And get this, all three nations will have their own opening ceremonies! Each ceremony will take place an hour and a half before the host country's first match. Mexico gets the ball rolling first.

They will face South Africa in the opening match on Thursday at 12:30 AM, Indian time. Next up, Canada will play their first game against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday at 12:30 AM IST. Finally, the USA will kick off their campaign against Paraguay on Saturday at 6:30 AM IST.

Who will be performing at the opening ceremony?

The man behind the grand show is producer Marco Balich, a big name who has served as the creative director for several Olympic ceremonies. The events will showcase the unique culture, identity, and creativity of each host nation. The main theme is how football unites everyone and breaks down borders.

Each of the three host countries will put on its own special show. The star-studded lineup of performers for the World Cup includes Shakira, Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, and Lila Downs, along with many other artists.

How long will the opening ceremonies be?

The ceremony in Mexico City is scheduled to last for 16 minutes and 30 seconds. Meanwhile, the ceremonies in Toronto and Los Angeles will each run for 13 minutes.

Everything will be on a tight schedule, following FIFA's strict rules for the World Cup. This is to make sure that players have enough time for their warm-ups and can get on the field at the exact scheduled time for their matches.