Shakira and Burna Boy Delivered 'Dai Dai' in Mexico City, and FIFA Calls It a 'Powerful Way to Kick Off' the 2026 World Cup

Holy smokes, 12s, it actually happened! The 2026 FIFA World Cup is OFFICIALLY underway, and if you missed the opening ceremony on Thursday in Mexico City, you absolutely blew it. Our own North American World Cup got the most electric kickoff you could ask for, with global superstars Shakira and Burna Boy absolutely tearing up the stage at Estadio Azteca. Seriously, this tournament just started with a bang, and it set the bar impossibly high for what's to come!

The Party in Mexico City Was Absolute Fire

We've been waiting for this for what feels like forever, and the opening ceremony delivered pure spectacle. After a crazy fireworks display, Shakira, our Colombian queen, and Nigerian artist Burna Boy stepped out in front of a giant replica of the World Cup trophy. Surrounded by backup dancers, they belted out "Dai Dai," the official song for this year's competition, with an energy that jumped right through the screen. And after their insane performance, red and green smoke, a perfect nod to the Mexican flag, just exploded from the top of the stadium. It was epic!

But wait, there was more. The ceremony was packed with incredible talent. Mexican rock legends Maná were there, along with singers Belinda and Lila Downs. Colombian star J Balvin and Venezuelan singer Danny Ocean also hit the stage. And get this: Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, Korean-American singer Ejae, and DJ David Guetta teamed up for a performance of "DNA (More Than a Game)," the official anthem for this whole thing. Talk about a stacked lineup! Before Mexico and South Africa even kicked off, we also heard Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández perform the Himno Nacional Mexicano and South African singer Tyla sing her country's national anthem. What a show!

FIFA Dropped the Truth About This Epic Start

You know it was special when even FIFA is gushing about it. A FIFA representative explained that the entire concept, with all its touches of Mexican culture, was inspired by the art of papel picado, which they called a "powerful symbol of tradition, craftsmanship, and joy." And they were not wrong! A spokesperson commented that, "For both the spectators inside the Mexico City Stadium and the global television audience, the mix of indigenous talent and modern folkloric performers proved a powerful way to kick off this World Cup finals tournament." It wasn't just a concert, it was a statement. The ceremony also featured a parade of flags from all the competing nations and ended with another explosion of fireworks, finally putting an end to the "long wait for the FIFA World Cup 2026." You could feel the anticipation just burst!

And guess what? That was just the first one! This World Cup is huge, co-hosted by 16 cities across 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. We get two more opening ceremonies on Friday! Toronto is up at BMO Field with Alessia Cara, Alanis Morissette, and Michael Bublé, which is going to be amazing. Then Los Angeles gets its turn at SoFi Stadium, featuring Katy Perry, rapper Future, Blackpink star Lisa, and country duo Dan + Shay. The party is just getting started, Seattle, and this tournament is going to be absolutely unforgettable! Bring on the games!

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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.