The 2026 FIFA World Cup will open across three host nations: the first ceremony is in Mexico City on Thursday, June 11, followed by ceremonies in Los Angeles and Toronto on Friday, June 12.
If you’re asking what time is the world cup opening ceremony, the Mexico City show at Estadio Azteca begins at 1:30 p.m. ET — 90 minutes before Mexico’s Group A match against South Africa, which kicks off at 3 p.m. ET.
For fans in the United States, the Los Angeles ceremony at SoFi Stadium will also start 90 minutes before the U.S. opener versus Paraguay; that match is scheduled for 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET). In Canada, Toronto’s BMO Field will host a ceremony 90 minutes before Canada plays Bosnia and Herzegovina, with kickoff listed at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT).
Performers are split across the three sites. In Mexico City, Shakira and Burna Boy will sing the official FIFA World Cup song, "Dai Dai," before the first match, and organizers say Mexican culture — indigenous talent, folkloric and modern performers — will be central to the presentation. Los Angeles will feature Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla. Toronto’s lineup includes Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince.
FIFA framed the Los Angeles show as emblematic of the tournament’s scale. President Gianni Infantino said, "This opening ceremony in Los Angeles represents the extraordinary scale of what the FIFA World Cup 2026 will become," and added that the artist lineup "reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the vibrancy of its many diasporas."
Broadcast windows are confirmed: fans can watch the opening ceremonies and matches on Fox and FS1, with Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo. Streaming options include Tubi, FOX One and the Fox Sports apps.
The three-city arrangement is the tournament’s defining choice: instead of one centralized pageant, hosts have opted for three separate ceremonies timed to precede each country’s home kickoff by 90 minutes. That distributes headline acts and local cultural elements across Mexico, the United States and Canada rather than concentrating them in a single plaza or stadium.
That split raises an unresolved production question: organizers have not said how the ceremonies will be linked for viewers — whether they will be stitched into a single continuous broadcast feed, carried separately by region, or presented with staggered live crossovers. The schedule and performer lists are clear; the format of any combined presentation is not.
Practical takeaway: if you want to watch the very first opening moment, tune to Fox or FS1 on Thursday, June 11 at 1:30 p.m. ET for the Mexico City ceremony. The next scheduled events are the Los Angeles and Toronto ceremonies the following day, each starting 90 minutes before its host nation’s kickoff — 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET in Inglewood and 9 p.m. ET in Toronto.
The unanswered logistical question — whether viewers will get a single, unified opening broadcast spanning three countries or three distinct regional broadcasts — is the closest thing to a cliffhanger left by the rollout. FIFA and the U.S./Mex./Can. hosts have provided dates, times and talent; the way those shows will play together on screens around the world remains to be announced.
