The 2026 World Cup opened in Mexico City on Friday evening, beginning a tournament launch that had already stretched across three opening ceremonies. The first of them featured Shakira and Burna Boy before the opening match kicked off.
That is why fans searching for when is world cup opening ceremony had an answer by the time the first ball was kicked: the spectacle started first, then the football followed. The opening match in Mexico City came as attention shifted toward the USA's first game against Paraguay in Los Angeles, set for Friday.
Paraguay's president, Santiago Peña, said on Wednesday that he would travel to California for the match, while the official US delegation was to be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The State Department said Rubio would head the American side, underscoring how much diplomatic weight has gathered around a tournament that is supposed to be about sport.
Donald Trump, who has touted the World Cup as a marquee international event during his presidency, was not expected to attend the USA's opening match. That absence sits beside a build-up already marked by friction, including a visa denial for Somali referee Omar Artan and a public defense from Gianni Infantino, who told reporters to “chill, relax” and “Just chill,” after the case was raised at his pre-tournament news conference.
More noise came from inside the sport itself. Mauricio Pochettino, speaking to El Pais, said he accepted the “arrogance” of countries such as Spain, Argentina, England and France, but added that in the United States there was “a bit of confusion” and “a mismatch between what they think they are and what they are.” For a World Cup that has finally started, the lines around the event remain as busy as the pitch: Mexico City has begun the tournament, Los Angeles is next, and the political theater around the USA's opening game has not gone away.
