The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday evening, with the opening match in Mexico and Mexico and South Africa in the opening kick-off of the World Cup at the historic Azteca Stadium.

The World Finals will be held for the first time in three countries – the United States, Mexico and Canada, in the largest edition in the history of the World Cup, opening a new page in the history of the game with an unprecedented record participation of 48 teams for the first time instead of 32.

The legendary "Azteca" stadium and the kick-off

FIFA chose the Azteca Stadium in the Mexican capital to be the scene of today's opening match, making history as the first stadium in the world to have the honour of hosting the opening matches in three different editions of the World Cup, in 1970 and 1986.

The opening match brings together the hosts, Mexico and South Africa, in a scenario reminiscent of the opening scene of the famous 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The two teams enter the opening match with their eyes on the three points to ignite the competitions of Group A, which also includes South Korea and the Czech Republic.

Under veteran coach Javier Aguirre, Mexico go into the match armed with an excellent streak of 8 consecutive games without defeat.

Aguirre relies on a combination of experience and youth led by Fenerbahce's Turkish midfielder Edison Alvarez, veteran striker Raul Jimenez, and 17-year-old young gem Gilberto Moura, who fans have high hopes for a global appearance.

The boys' team returns to the world stage for the first time since 2010, led by Belgian coach Hugo Bruce, who has officially announced that this tournament will be his last stop after a 56-year career in the world of football.

Bruce is relying on a squad of local players from Sundowns and Orlando, backed by Burnley's English striker Lyle Foster.

Although the team's preparations faced a logistical crisis due to the delay in obtaining visas for some of the mission's personnel, Bruce confirmed that his team had enough determination to win.

The opening of the new edition marks a watershed moment in the history of the most popular game on earth, as the tournament enters a new phase of expansion and development, with the number of teams increasing from 32 to 48, giving a greater opportunity to represent different continents and making the competition more diverse and exciting than ever before.

Opening Ceremony

The opening whistle will be preceded by an official opening ceremony for the finals, which will take place 90 minutes before the match between Mexico and South Africa.

It will witness the participation of a group of international music stars, led by Colombian star Shakira, who will perform the official song of the tournament "Dai Dai", along with Nigerian star Purna Boy.

Colombian star Jota Balvin and South African singer Tayla will also participate in the concert in an artistic performance that brings together the different cultures of the countries and continents participating in the global event.

The song "Dai Dai" has a special meaning, as it means "let's go" in Italian, and is linked to a humanitarian campaign launched by FIFA to support education and provide opportunities for children around the world to practice sports, giving the song a dimension beyond the boundaries of sporting competition.