Shakira brought superstar sparkle to the opening night of the 2026 World Cup as the biggest tournament in football history kicked off in Mexico City with music, colour, noise — and controversy.
The Colombian icon headlined the star-studded ceremony at the legendary Estadio Azteca, joining Burna Boy to perform “Dai Dai,” the official song of the tournament, before co-hosts Mexico began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over South Africa.
It was a night designed to celebrate football’s global power.
But from chaotic fan scenes in Mexico City to anger from American viewers over Fox’s coverage, the opening day also showed just how complicated this World Cup may become.
Inside the Azteca, however, the show was pure spectacle.
Shakira, who remains forever linked with the World Cup after her 2010 anthem “Waka Waka,” stepped onto the stage in a bright neon yellow look and immediately sent the stadium wild.
Hundreds of dancers filled the pitch around her, turning the historic stadium into a sea of colour, movement and sound.
A giant gold replica of the World Cup trophy rose from the centre of the stage as performers in vivid costumes poured across the field, blending pop concert energy with traditional Mexican flair.
Burna Boy brought Afrobeats power to the performance, joining Shakira as the tournament attempted to deliver a genuinely global opening statement.
The ceremony also featured a packed lineup of major names, including J Balvin, Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná and Tyla.
Mexican actress Salma Hayek, serving as a FIFA ambassador, helped officially open the tournament, later watching from the stands alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
For fans inside the stadium, it was a moment of pride.
Mexico is now the first country to host World Cup matches across three different editions, following 1970 and 1986. The Azteca, already home to some of football’s most legendary memories, once again became the centre of the sporting world.
Supporters arrived hours before kick-off, dressed in red, white and green. Many wore sombreros, luchador masks, sequins, face paint and elaborate headdresses as the capital turned into a festival of national pride.
Then Mexico gave them exactly what they wanted.
A 2-0 win over South Africa sent the crowd into celebration and gave the hosts the perfect start to a tournament that will stretch across Mexico, the United States and Canada.
But the joy inside the stadium did not erase the tension outside it.
In the Zócalo, Mexico City’s historic central square, chaos broke out at the free fan zone as thousands tried to get in shortly before kick-off.
Access had already been complicated by metal barriers put up around the area, partly because of protests nearby. As crowds surged, officials reportedly shouted through megaphones for people to stop pushing, warning that children were in the crowd.
Some fans hurled insults and water bottles toward police, while local authorities eventually announced the site was full and urged people to go to other plazas.
The unrest added to a difficult build-up in Mexico City, where teachers’ unions and other groups have staged protests over pay, pensions, labour reforms and the wider cost of hosting the World Cup.
For many, the tournament is a proud national moment.
For others, it has become a symbol of inequality, with expensive tickets and heavy security leaving some locals feeling shut out of their own celebration.
That contrast gave the opening day a strange emotional split.
On the pitch, there was music, victory and history.
Outside, there were barriers, protests and frustration.
The controversy also reached the United States, where fans were furious that Fox did not show Shakira’s opening ceremony live on its main coverage.
Many American viewers who tuned in expecting to see the performance instead found studio analysis. Telemundo, the Spanish-language broadcaster, aired the ceremony, leading to even more criticism from fans who felt Fox had missed one of the biggest entertainment moments of the tournament.
For a World Cup trying to sell itself as the biggest and most inclusive ever, the backlash was an early warning sign.
Visa and travel controversies have also overshadowed the build-up, particularly in the United States, where immigration restrictions have created problems for some fans, officials and journalists.
One of the most high-profile cases involved Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was reportedly denied entry to the United States despite being selected for the tournament. His removal from the officiating list became a flashpoint in the debate over whether every nation and participant can truly feel welcome at a World Cup spread across North America.
FIFA has insisted it is working through challenges, while Infantino has defended the organisation’s role, saying immigration decisions rest with governments rather than football officials.
But the political pressure around the tournament is impossible to ignore.
This World Cup is not only bigger than any before it.
It is also more complex.
Three host nations.
Forty-eight teams.
Sixteen cities.
Huge ticket prices.
Security concerns.
Environmental criticism.
Visa disputes.
And a global spotlight that will only grow brighter as the tournament continues.
Yet for all the problems, the opening image will still belong to Shakira.
Her performance gave the first night its defining burst of energy — a reminder that the World Cup, at its best, can still create moments that feel larger than sport.
Mexico’s win gave the home crowd a dream start.
The chaos around the event showed the scale of the challenge ahead.
The 2026 World Cup has arrived with glamour, passion and controversy all at once.
And after one dramatic opening night in Mexico City, it is already clear this tournament will be impossible to ignore.
