“Dai, Dai” presents
Here we go! The World Cup opening ceremony LIVE NOW
It was short and sweet: the grand opening ceremony for the 23rd World Cup in soccer history, held in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico! The colorful spectacle at the legendary Azteca Stadium was dominated above all by pop star Shakira, who performed her official World Cup song “Dai Dai” on the arena’s field during the gala’s finale …
Kronen Zeitung als bevorzugte Google-Quelle hinzufügen Traditional attire, modern pop rhythms, and plenty of gold defined the ceremony at the soccer temple, situated at an altitude of more than 2,200 meters, where a World Cup kicked off for the third time following 1970 and 1986. Over the next five and a half weeks, the new champion will be crowned at the XXL tournament in Mexico, Canada, and the U.S.
Less than ten minutes after the colorful fireworks display on the field, the hosts took the field to warm up for their opener against South Africa—the two teams had also faced off in the first match of the 2010 World Cup. With a slight delay, the match kicked off at 9:06 p.m. CEST. Shortly thereafter, it was reported that a man had suffered a heart attack outside the entrance and had to be taken to the hospital. Additionally, videos of riots outside one of the stadium entrances began circulating.
Here are the best photos from the World Cup opening ceremony:
Ochoa savors the moment
Upon arriving by bus, Mexico’s team was greeted with a frenetic welcome. Hopes for another successful home World Cup are sky-high. On both previous occasions, “El Tri,” as the team is known, reached the quarterfinals. Before the opening ceremony, Mexico’s soccer hero Guillermo Ochoa treated himself to a personal moment of joy. The goalkeeper stood on the field for several minutes, waving to the cheering fans and clearly enjoying the start of his sixth World Cup—even though he had to take a seat on the bench afterward. Coach Javier Aguirre opted for Raul Rangel in goal.
The opening ceremony—which celebrated Mexico’s pre-Hispanic culture—certainly created a festive atmosphere and a golden glow thanks to the oversized World Cup trophy, a golden stage, and extras dressed entirely in gold. Adding to the spectacle were traditional warrior dancers with their impressive feather headdresses as singer Lila Downs welcomed the soccer world: “Welcome to Mexico, welcome to the 2026 World Cup.” Shakira sang the World Cup anthem “Dai Dai,” which ignited the next wave of excitement and real fireworks. Fifteen minutes before kickoff, actress Salma Hayek appeared as a World Cup ambassador.
Here is the LIVE TICKER for the World Cup opening ceremony to read
Restricted zone around the stadium
To ensure the smooth running of the ceremony and the opening match, a restricted zone was established around the stadium in the southern part of the city. Access was restricted about a mile and a half away; from there, people could only continue on foot, by bike, or by scooter. Only authorized vehicles were allowed to proceed. The reason for this was concern over further protests by the teachers’ union, which had blocked the stadium just two days earlier.
At least six demonstrations were planned for Thursday, with the city serving as a battleground between celebrations and resistance. Freshly painted murals, new trains, and a renovated stadium—all intended to welcome World Cup tourists—stood in stark contrast to the steel barricades that shops along the capital’s main street had erected to protect themselves from rioters.
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