Revealed On 11 Jun 2026
Fireworks, a sweeping mild present and performances by Shakira, Burna Boy and J Balvin opened the 2026 World Cup earlier than greater than 80,000 followers at a revamped Azteca Stadium in Mexico Metropolis.
On Thursday, co-hosts Mexico kicked off the expanded 48-team soccer match by taking part in South Africa on the steep concrete enviornment, formally renamed Mexico Metropolis Stadium however nonetheless extensively referred to as Azteca.
The bottom, which staged World Cup openers in 1970 and 1986, has now turn into the primary venue to host the match’s curtain-raiser 3 times, as Mexico shares internet hosting duties with the USA and Canada.
Inside, followers waved flags, sang and filmed the star-studded prematch present on their telephones as the worldwide highlight returned to considered one of soccer’s most storied venues.
Exterior, demonstrations broke out close to key transport routes and fan zones, with protesters denouncing the price of staging the World Cup, tight safety cordons round working-class neighbourhoods and what they are saying is disruption to communities dwelling within the stadium’s shadow.
Police and safety forces ringed surrounding streets and funnelled supporters by way of checkpoints, as Mexico Metropolis started a month of soccer underneath intense scrutiny.
