MEXICO CITY (AP) 鈥� Shakira, Man谩, Andrea Bocelli and a surprise appearance by Salma Hayek lit up the World Cup opening ceremony ahead of over South Africa on Thursday.
Shakira performed 鈥淒ai Dai,鈥� the tournament’s official song, with Burna Boy. The Colombian star had a hit with 鈥淲aka Waka (This Time For Africa)鈥� from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and now seeks to score again.
A good World Cup song, , 鈥渘eeds to definitely have rhythm. It has to be rhythmic. It has to make people want to dance. And it has to be an anthem as well. It has to make people want to sing along in unison, sing out loud at the top of their lungs.鈥�
Shakira has performed at previous World Cups, too: 2006 in Germany, 2010 in South Africa, and 2014 in Brazil.
In addition, she will perform at on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey with Madonna and BTS. Mexico, the United States and Canada are co-hosting the 48-team tournament.
A welcome for all
Lila Downs welcomed fans and players in Spanish, English, and the indigenous languages Mixtec and Nahuatl.
鈥淧eople of the world, welcome to Mexico,鈥� said Downs, who wore a white indigenous huipil with a lilac edge. 鈥淢exico welcomes you with smiles from our heart, we are a nation of diversity, heritage and pride in ancestral lands where movement and ritual spirit endure.鈥�
Downs, who is a singer-songwriter, was born in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca. Her mother is Mixtec, and her father was American of Scottish descent. But her heart is green, white and red when it comes to the ball.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great honor for me to represent my beautiful and diverse country,鈥� Downs said in an interview with The AP. 鈥淥f course I鈥檓 going to root for Mexico鈥檚 team, Viva Mexico!鈥�
Man谩 thrills fans
Man谩 electrified the stadium with 鈥淥ye Mi Amor鈥� surrounded by pre-Hispanic dancers who moved their head plumes to the rhythm of rock while tens of thousands of fans chanted.
The band, founded in 1986, has sold more than 40 million records.
Shortly before their performance, they announced that they will be touring in Latin America, including stops in Bogot谩, Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires, and Mexico City.
From Iztapalapa to the World Cup
The Mexican cumbia group Los 脕ngeles Azules performed 鈥淧or Ella鈥� with Belinda, one of the most danceable songs of FIFA’s official World Cup album.
The band, founded in the mid-70s by the Mej铆a Avante brothers, is originally from the district of Iztapalapa, a working-class area of Mexico City, so their battle cry is 鈥淔rom Iztapalapa to the world!鈥�
J Balvin had a dynamic performance 鈥� he started driving a cardboard car with 鈥淨ue Calor鈥� and then he was accompanied by Ryan Castro for 鈥淯na A La Vez鈥� before ending with 鈥淚 Like It,鈥� a hit he originally released with Cardi B and Bad Bunny.
The Colombian star has experience on world stages. In 2020, he participated in the Super Bowl halftime as a guest of Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.
Danny Ocean performed 鈥淧artidazo鈥� 鈥� his collaboration for the FIFA album. Ocean was surrounded by dancers wearing a modern take on the traditional dresses of the Mexican state of Jalisco, modified to have hoodies on top.
Two Labubus could be seen wearing soccer jerseys after the presentation of Los 脕ngeles Azules and Belinda. One brown Labubu wore a jersey with the number 10 and the legend 鈥淭he Monsters鈥� and the other wore a shirt with the logo of the 2026 World Cup.
Hollywood power at the ceremony
Actress and producer Salma Hayek, a big soccer fan, gave a brief welcome speech during the first protocol parade of a World Cup in which the 48 flags of the participating countries could be seen.
鈥淢exicans are very honored that this is where the first match of this wonderful soccer tradition that unites us all begins,鈥� Hayek, who is originally from the Mexican state of Veracruz, said in Spanish. 鈥淟ong live Mexico and long live soccer!鈥�
Hayek has been appointed an ambassador for the 2026 World Cup.
Opera and K-pop united
and South Korean star EJAE performed 鈥淒NA,鈥� the tournament’s official anthem, with French DJ and producer David Guetta at the flag parade.
Bocelli has just performed for more than 130,000 fans in April at Mexico City鈥檚 Z贸calo. EJAE is famous for being the voice of the character Rumi in the film 鈥淜Pop Demon Hunters鈥� and for being one of the composers of the 鈥淕olden鈥� from the animated film.
South Africa and Mexico national anthems
Tyla and Alejandro Fernandez were the designated performers for the national anthems of South Africa and Mexico, respectively, before kickoff.
In 2024, Tyla won the and, in doing so, became the youngest African artist to win a Grammy.
Fern谩ndez鈥檚 life has been dedicated to regional Mexican music. The so-called 鈥淧otrillo鈥� is the son of the late star Vicente Fernandez. On FIFA’s album鈥� Fern谩ndez performs 鈥淢i M茅xico Lindo.”
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Associated Press writers Maria Sherman and Mallika Sen contributed to this report from New York
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