At 22:00 Kyiv time on June 11, the opening match of the 2026 World Cup will begin at the Estadio Banorte stadium (also known as the Azteca) in Mexico City. Mexico will face South Africa — the same pairing that opened the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg. Back then, they drew 1:1. This time, the stakes are higher: a loss for Mexico's national team on home soil would mean not just a defeat, but a scandal before the home crowd.

Ceremony: Shakira at home, Burna Boy and a song for FIFA

90 minutes before the opening whistle — at 20:30 — the opening ceremony will begin on the field. Shakira, who has already arrived in Mexico City and wrote "Llegué a mi casa" ("I'm home") on social media, will perform alongside Nigerian artist Burna Boy. They will premiere "Dai Dai" — the official tournament song — live for the first time.

"More than 15 years after 'Waka Waka,' Shakira is opening the World Cup again — this time the song is released in support of the FIFA Education Foundation and Global Citizen."

FIFA.com

This is not the only ceremony of the tournament. On June 12, Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette will perform in Toronto — opening Canada's part of the tournament. That same evening in Los Angeles — Katy Perry and rapper Future.

A format that no one tested

The 2026 World Cup is the first in a 48-team format. Teams are divided into 12 groups of four. The Round of 16 will feature the top two from each group plus the eight best third-place finishers. In total — 104 matches instead of 64, with the tournament lasting 39 days.

• A finalist will now play 8 matches instead of seven — due to the new Round of 16.
• Critics point out: a team could draw all three group matches and still advance.
• Europe's top clubs will start next season just a month after the final, with virtually no recovery time for players.

FIFA officially explains the expansion as "global reach" — more spots for Africa, Asia, Oceania, and CONCACAF. Critics counter: 16 additional lower-ranked teams will produce predictable blowouts in the groups, not spectacle.

The Azteca and the weight of symbolism

The Mexico City stadium with a capacity of around 87,500 spectators — the largest in Latin America — becomes the only one in history to host the opening of two different World Cups: 1986 and 2026. FIFA is asking fans to arrive early: the stadium audience will play an active role in the ceremony itself.

If the expanded format truly "democratizes" the tournament — this will become clear already in the group matches. If the number of goalless draws between underdogs increases, FIFA will have statistical evidence against its own reform even before the quarterfinals.