The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off this Thursday at midnight, Indian time, and football fans everywhere are buzzing. This year is huge, with 48 teams competing for the first time. The excitement is massive, 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 nations: the USA, Canada, and Mexico. And get this – each country will have its own opening ceremony! These ceremonies will take place 90 minutes before each host nation's first match. Mexico gets the ball rolling first. Their opening match against South Africa is 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 ceremonies?
So, who's behind the grand show? The World Cup's opening ceremonies are being produced by Marco Balich, a big name who has been the creative director for several Olympic opening ceremonies. The plan is to showcase the unique culture, identity, and creativity of each host nation. The theme is all about how football brings people together and breaks down borders. This unity will be the main focus of the World Cup opening. The star-studded lineup of performers 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 opening ceremony in Mexico City is scheduled for 16 minutes and 30 seconds. The ceremonies in Toronto and Los Angeles will be a bit shorter, at 13 minutes each. Everything will run on a tight schedule, following strict FIFA rules. This is to make sure there's no delay and the players get their proper warm-up time before hitting the field for the World Cup matches.
