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Shakira acknowledges the spectators during the Opening Ceremony before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on June 11, 2026. Angel Delgado/Getty Images
The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicked off Thursday with an opening celebration in Mexico City, bringing together star-studded performances and highly anticipated soccer matchups.
More than 80,000 fans took to the Estadio Azteca stadium, where Colombian pop star Shakira performed at one of the three opening ceremonies.
Elma Aksalic is a freelance entertainment reporter for The Epoch Times and an experienced TV news anchor and journalist covering original content for Newsmax magazine.
