Shakira opens – Shakira and a star-studded lineup kicked off the 2026 World Cup as Mexico City staged the tournament’s ceremonial opening before Mexico’s clash with South Africa. But the festivities arrived amid protests, security concerns, and a widening visa and entry row i
Shakira took center stage in Mexico City as the 2026 World Cup finally got underway—before the first whistle, before the first tackle, even before many viewers expected to see the moment at all.
The Colombian singer and Burna Boi performed “Dai Dai. ” the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. headlining a packed opening ceremony ahead of the tournament’s kick-off match. Mexico then turned the spotlight to football itself. with Mexico set to play South Africa at Estadio Azteca on Thursday afternoon in a repeat of the 2010 opening-match pairing.
The show didn’t come from one name but many. It also included performances from Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná and Tyla—each of whom featured on the first-ever FIFA World Cup album.
For viewers in the United States, though, the opening ceremony became a different kind of spectacle. Fox—listed as the official American broadcaster of the World Cup—did not show the ceremony live on its coverage. American fans trying to watch Shakira instead had to listen to analysis from Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas.
Telemundo, the Spanish-language carrier of the tournament, broadcast the entire show, leaving the discrepancy in coverage as another point of frustration while the tournament began.
Off the pitch, the build-up has been shaped less by pageantry than by unrest—protests in Mexico City and a widening controversy over visas and entry rules in the United States.
Mexico City has hosted World Cup matches across three separate tournaments after the 1970 and 1986 editions. and the pride is visible in how the host city has greeted football arriving on a grand scale. Yet large-scale protests across the capital have underscored a different reality: tension running alongside excitement.
The most visible demonstrations have come from members of the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educacion. a teachers’ union protesting pay. pensions and labour reforms. Elsewhere. environmental and human rights groups. including Greenpeace. staged protests about the environmental impact of a World Cup spanning 16 host cities across three countries.
Some Mexicans have also questioned the costs tied to co-hosting the tournament, arguing that deep-rooted societal and economic problems remain unresolved. Critics have said the event primarily benefits wealthier sections of society rather than the general population.
As Mexico prepares for its opening day, the stadium backdrop has also shifted. There has been an increased security presence around Estadio Azteca amid the chaos of the build-up.
In the United States. another storm has gathered attention around the tournament’s travel and entry rules—fuelled by anger over visa policies tied to the Trump administration. Visa and entry issues have reportedly caused problems for several fans. journalists and even officials attempting to obtain visas or enter the U.S.
The most high-profile individual affected is Somali referee Omar Artan, regarded as one of Africa’s leading officials. Artan had been selected for the tournament, but was removed from FIFA’s list of referees after American authorities denied him entry upon arrival at Miami International Airport.
An official within the Donald Trump administration said the denial related to Artan’s alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations.” Artan disputed the accusation when speaking to the New York Times. saying: “I am very. very disappointed. I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream. the biggest dream of my life. to come to the World Cup.”.
Somalia is among the countries included on Trump’s travel ban list. The topic has also drawn wider scrutiny because of Trump’s broader comments—last month describing Somali immigrants in the U.S. as “all crooks,” and previously labeling Somalia as “the worst country in the world” in January.
The controversy has not been limited to one individual. It has touched qualified nations as well: Haiti and Iran face full travel restrictions, while Ivory Coast and Senegal face partial restrictions.
Iraq national team photographer Talal Salah was denied entry to the U.S. while the Iranian Football Federation claimed their allocation of tickets for fans had been revoked. The federation added that some officials were denied visas. and Iran’s team has now been required to enter and leave the U.S. on matchdays.
The fallout has had immediate operational consequences for Iran. The team switched its base from Arizona to Mexico shortly before the tournament, disrupting preparations.
With the issues piling up—protests, costs, security, visa denials and disrupted plans—some observers have described the World Cup as the most politically charged in history, despite FIFA’s efforts to position the tournament as a unifying global event.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed the controversy on Wednesday, defending FIFA’s handling of the situation. Infantino had previously claimed last year that “fans from all over the world will be welcome. ” a promise that has met resistance as visa problems. travel restrictions and ticket prices have come under sharper pressure.
He argued that immigration decisions rest with governments rather than FIFA. Infantino also backed the ticket prices and said no-one else would have been able to secure Iran’s participation at the tournament given their conflict with the U.S.
When pressed on the wider backlash, he told critics to “chill” and “relax.” “We don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth,” Infantino said. “We have to respect that we are not kings of the world, who can rule over governments and police forces.”
“We are a sports organisation that does as much as we can. It’s important sometimes to chill, relax. We work on everything. Sometimes screaming and shouting does not find a solution.”
While the world tunes in to the opening match—Mexico versus South Africa—football in North America is set to carry on at full speed.
The U.S. and Canada will host their own opening ceremonies ahead of their first games on Friday. Canada faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening clash at the freshly-transformed BMO Field in Toronto. The stadium has expanded from 28,000 seats to 45,000 in preparation for the World Cup crowd.
Before the tournament begins north of the border, Canada’s celebratory bash is set to feature Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez and Michael Bublé among others. In the U.S., the opening ceremony will take place on the same day as the U.S. men’s national team starts its campaign.
The Stars and Stripes play Paraguay in Los Angeles, marking their first home World Cup since 1994. Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla headline pregame festivities in the City of Angels.
For all the music and glamour built into the start. the World Cup’s first hours are already defined by friction: protests in the host capital. a U.S. visa battle with high-profile consequences, and an opening-ceremony broadcast that left American viewers furious. The tournament has begun—but the noise around it has not gone away.
2026 World Cup Shakira Burna Boi Mexico vs South Africa Estadio Azteca visa controversy Omar Artan Gianni Infantino Fox broadcast Telemundo protests Mexico City Canada opening ceremony USA opening ceremony