The wait is finally over for football fans around the world as the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup is set to begin shortly. The curtain will rise on the month-and-a-half-long global sporting spectacle with a grand opening ceremony at Mexico’s iconic Azteca Stadium, followed by the tournament’s opening match between hosts Mexico and South Africa.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 officially gets underway today, marking the largest edition in the tournament’s history. The competition is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Although all three nations have arranged separate opening celebrations, the official start of the tournament will take place in Mexico, where the first match is scheduled to be played.
The opening ceremony is set to begin at 11:00 p.m. Bangladesh time at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The opening match between Mexico and South Africa will kick off at 1:00 a.m. Following the format used during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the ceremony will start 90 minutes before the first game.
Organizers have announced that the event will showcase Mexico’s indigenous heritage, folk traditions, and the artistic beauty of the country’s iconic Papel Picado craftsmanship. The ceremony will feature performances by internationally acclaimed artists including Shakira, Burna Boy, J Balvin, Maná, Belinda, Danny Ocean, and Lila Downs.
Fellow co-hosts Canada and the United States have also planned their own opening celebrations. Canada’s event will take place at Toronto Stadium and feature performances by Nora Fatehi, Michael Bublé, Jessie Reyez, Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, and Bangladeshi-American DJ Sanjoy, among others.
Meanwhile, the United States will host its opening celebration in Los Angeles. The technology-driven show, featuring spectacular visual effects and stage performances, will include appearances by Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, BLACKPINK star Lisa, Rema, and Tyla.
Football fans in Bangladesh will be able to watch the opening ceremony and World Cup matches live on BTV.