2026 World Cup Kicks Off in Mexico: Canelo, Hayek, Klopp and Müller Headline Opening. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will open in Mexico City. Canelo, Salma Hayek, Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Müller are expected at the stadium. Organizers promise a large-scale show featuring celebrities.
On June 11, the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place in Mexico City—this is the first time in history the tournament will feature 48 national teams. The country's main stadium, Estadio Ciudad de México, is preparing to host not only the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, but also dozens of high-profile guests from the worlds of sports and entertainment.
Among the invited guests are Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez, who will not only appear in the stands but also present the award for the match's best player. Salma Hayek will be the face of the greeting for fans at the stadium and for millions of viewers around the world. Other guests announced include Jürgen Klopp, Thomas Müller, and former footballers Marcelo, Roberto Carlos, and Maxi Rodríguez.
Organizers promise a spectacular musical show featuring world-class artists. Performing on stage will be Shakira, Burna Boy, Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, and Tyla. The program will blend Latin American, Mexican, and African rhythms to highlight the international scale of the event.
There is particular attention on the tournament kickoff in Mexico: the country is hosting the World Cup for the third time, and the current format with 48 teams makes this the largest tournament in history. As noted by russpain.com, interest in the World Cup is fueled not only by sports anticipation but also by an extensive cultural program and the participation of world celebrities. Ahead of the opening, many fans are following the teams’ preparations—for example, Spain played its final pre-World Cup friendly against Peru, which took place in Mexico (details about the match).
For reference: Estadio Ciudad de México (formerly Estadio Azteca) is one of the world’s most famous stadiums, having hosted the finals of the 1970 and 1986 World Cups. In 2026, it once again becomes the focal point of global football. The opening ceremony and first match are expected to draw not only thousands of spectators to the stadium, but also a record television audience. Interest in the event is heightened by the fact that Mexico, the USA, and Canada are jointly hosting the tournament for the first time, and the number of participants has increased by almost half compared to previous championships.
