Global music stars Shakira and Burna Boy are set to headline the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will perform the tournament’s official anthem, Dai Dai, before the first match kicks off in Mexico.
The highly anticipated performance will take place on June 11 at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, shortly before the hosts, Mexico, face South Africa in the opening game of the expanded World Cup.
Dai Dai, the tournament’s official song, takes its name from a popular Italian expression meaning “let’s go” or “come on,” a phrase that captures the excitement and energy associated with the world’s biggest football competition.
The collaboration between Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian Afrobeats heavyweight Burna Boy has already generated significant buzz among football and music fans worldwide.
The opening ceremony will also feature performances by Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin and South African singer Tyla, creating a diverse international lineup that reflects the tournament’s global nature.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, marking the first time three countries have hosted the competition together.
In addition to the main opening ceremony in Mexico, celebrations are planned across the other host nations ahead of their opening matches.
In Canada, music legends Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette are scheduled to perform at BMO Field in Toronto before Canada’s opening fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12.
Meanwhile, in the United States, pop icon Katy Perry and rapper Future will entertain fans at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles before the Americans take on Paraguay.
For Burna Boy, the World Cup performance represents another major milestone in a career that has seen him become one of Africa’s most influential musical exports.
The Grammy Award winner continues to break barriers internationally, bringing Afrobeats to some of the world’s biggest stages and collaborating with global superstars across multiple genres.
Shakira, meanwhile, is no stranger to FIFA World Cup performances.
The Colombian singer delivered one of the most memorable World Cup songs of all time with Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) during the 2010 tournament in South Africa, a track that remains closely associated with the competition more than a decade later.
The singer is also expected to play a major role in the tournament’s closing celebrations.
According to reports, Shakira will return for the World Cup final on July 19, where she is scheduled to perform alongside pop legend Madonna and the globally renowned K-pop group BTS during a Super Bowl-style halftime show.
With football, music, and entertainment set to collide on a grand scale, FIFA appears determined to make the 2026 tournament one of the most spectacular editions in World Cup history.
The opening ceremony featuring Shakira, Burna Boy, J Balvin, and Tyla is expected to attract millions of viewers worldwide as the countdown to football’s biggest event officially begins.
