World Cup opens in Mexico City with show, security and protests
The 2026 tournament began at Mexico City Stadium, where Mexico faced South Africa after a celebrity-filled ceremony before more than 80,000 fans.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
The 2026 World Cup opened Thursday in Mexico City with a stadium spectacle, a heavy security presence and protests outside the venue, the Associated Press reported. The start matters because the expanded 48-team tournament is being shared across Mexico, the United States and Canada, with the final scheduled for New Jersey on July 19.
More than 80,000 fans filled the renovated stadium officially called Mexico City Stadium, though it remains widely known as the Azteca, according to AP. Co-host Mexico began the tournament against South Africa in a Group A match at the steep concrete arena.
The opening ceremony included fireworks, large-scale lighting effects and performances by Shakira, Burna Boy and J Balvin, AP reported. The show also featured Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, South Korean singer EJAE and Fher Olvera, the lead singer of Mexican band Mana, according to AP photo captions from the event.
AP reported that Shakira and Burna Boy performed “Dai Dai,” identified as the tournament’s official song. Fans inside the stadium waved national flags, sang and recorded the pre-match show on their phones as the World Cup returned to one of football’s best-known venues.
A third World Cup opener for the Azteca
The venue has now staged the first match of a World Cup three times, AP reported. It previously hosted opening games in 1970 and 1986, and the 2026 event made it the first stadium to reach that mark.
Mexico, the United States and Canada are jointly hosting what AP described as the largest World Cup in history. The tournament has expanded to 48 teams and is projected to bring in $13bn in total revenue, according to AP.
AP reported that Mexico took an early lead against South Africa as the opening match got under way. The game followed a ceremony designed to put the host city at the center of the tournament’s first day.
Protests and checkpoints outside
Outside the stadium, demonstrations took place near important transport routes and fan areas, AP reported. Protesters objected to the cost of hosting the tournament, the security barriers around working-class neighborhoods and disruption they said was affecting communities near the stadium.
AP images showed relatives of Mexico’s disappeared joining protesters before the opening day. Other demonstrators performed during a protest in the city before the match.
Police and security personnel blocked streets near the stadium and directed supporters through checkpoints, according to AP. Officers also guarded barricades as fans made their way toward a fan festival area to watch World Cup coverage.
The contrast marked the tournament’s opening hours in Mexico City: a packed stadium celebrating football’s return to a historic ground, and nearby residents and campaigners using the moment to press grievances over money, security and daily life around the event.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.