The World Cup opening ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, and Donald Trump said he plans to be there in some form. Asked in the Oval Office whether he would attend any matches, he replied, “I will, I will,” putting a political spotlight on a tournament that is about to begin under pressure from rows over visas and ticket prices.
That is why people are searching for when is the World Cup opening ceremony now: the answer is Thursday, with the first whistle effectively arriving as the buildup turns into action. The timing matters because the opening ceremony marks the point where the event stops being a summer plan and becomes a live tournament, with fans, teams and officials all moving into the final hours before play begins.
Trump said on Wednesday that he had spoken to Gianni Infantino and that he intended to attend the World Cup “in some capacity,” adding that the FIFA president told him there had “never been anything close.” He also said, “We’re working on it very closely to ensure the right people come into our country,” a line that lands squarely amid the wider argument over US visas that has shadowed the tournament.
On Tuesday, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton went further and announced an investigation into FIFA over alleged deceptive ticketing practices for World Cup matches in Texas. He said he would work to ensure that FIFA was “engaging in ethical and honest business practices so that Texas fans are treated fairly,” and warned that Texans take their competition and their consumer rights seriously. The complaint adds another layer to a buildup already defined by expensive seats, even as the opening ceremony approaches.
The tournament’s footprint in Texas helps explain why the pressure is so visible. Seven World Cup matches will be played at Houston’s NRG Stadium and nine at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, including a semi-final on 14 July. There was also concern about a lightning delay in Orlando during the England v Costa Rica buildup, a reminder that even the weather is now part of the calculations around a competition that is almost under way.
For now, the date that matters is Thursday. After that, the talking stops, the ceremony begins, and the World Cup becomes what it was always meant to be: not a debate about access or pricing, but a tournament with matches to be won and a final set for 19 July.
