Where and when will the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup take place?

According to the published schedule, the opening match of the 2026 World Cup between Mexico and South Africa will take place at 2:00 AM on June 12th (Vietnam time). Approximately 90 minutes before kick-off, the first opening ceremony of the tournament will be held at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

With a capacity of approximately 83,000 spectators, Estadio Azteca became the first stadium in history to host the opening match of the World Cup three times, following the 1970 and 1986 World Cups. The artistic program featured Colombian artist J Balvin and South African singer Tyla.

The opening match of the 2026 World Cup will be between host nation Mexico and South Africa.

Not limited to Mexico, the 2026 World Cup will also have opening ceremonies in the other two co-hosting nations, Canada and the United States, marking the first time the biggest football event on the planet will be kicked off across three host countries.

In Canada, the second opening ceremony will take place on June 13th, before the home team's match against Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto. This event will feature two renowned Canadian artists, Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette.

Meanwhile, the United States will also host its own opening ceremony for the host nation at the 2026 World Cup. This event is part of a series of special activities for the first World Cup co-hosted by three countries.

The 2026 World Cup marks a major turning point for world football as it will feature 48 teams for the first time, up from 32 in previous World Cups. The group stage will consist of 12 groups, each with 4 teams.

The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will qualify for the knockout round. The tournament will consist of a total of 104 matches, significantly more than the 64 matches in previous World Cups.

The tournament takes place from June 12th to July 20th, with the final expected to conclude the 56-day journey of the biggest football event on the planet. Defending champions Argentina enter the tournament aiming to retain their title, while fans worldwide await Lionel Messi's performance in what is considered the final World Cup of his international career.

Holding the opening ceremonies in Mexico, Canada, and the United States not only reflects the unprecedented scale of the 2026 World Cup but also marks a special milestone for the first World Cup to be hosted by three countries.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/le-khai-mac-world-cup-2026-dien-ra-o-dau-khi-nao-post900894.html