World Cup kicks off in Mexico City
The World Cup opening ceremony took place in Mexico City, with the first match seeing Mexico defeat South Africa 2-0. The tournament features 104 matches over 39 days.
The World Cup opening ceremony kicked off at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday, marking the start of the group stage match between Mexico and South Africa. Latin music and dance performances centered around a giant model of the World Cup trophy on the pitch. Over the next 39 days, 104 matches will be played, culminating in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
Highlighting the ceremony, Colombian star Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy performed "Dai Dai" — an Italian slang term meaning "come on" or "give it your all" — the official tournament song, drawing cheers from the crowd.
The only match on opening day was Mexico vs South Africa, which ended 2-0 in favor of Mexico. South Africa's coach Hugo Broos had warned his team to tune out the passionate Mexico City crowd.
Police were heavily deployed in the Mexican capital, especially around the outdoor viewing area where scuffles were reported as people tried to enter the crowded site before the game.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino struck an optimistic note ahead of the opening game despite issues such as ticket prices, tournament expansion, and geopolitical problems including the war in Iran and the exclusion of a Somali referee by U.S. immigration authorities.
