FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony 2026 Time in India: When & where to watch Mexico, Canada, US live streamings, performers list

Three host nations, 48 teams and a star-studded musical lineup. FIFA World Cup 2026 opens with a spectacular celebration- find out when and where Indian fans can watch it live.

New Delhi: The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to begin with a grand celebration spread across three host nations- Mexico, Canada and the United States. For the first time in tournament history, three countries will jointly host football’s biggest event, making this edition the largest-ever World Cup with 48 teams and 104 matches.

Opening Ceremonies Time: Date, Time & Venue (IST)

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Here is the full Indian Standard Time (IST) schedule of the opening ceremonies of all three host nations and their respective kickoff matches for Indian viewers:

1.Mexico Opening Ceremony (The Grand Opener)

1. Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026
2. Time: 10:30 PM (IST) (The ceremony is expected to start about 90 minutes before kickoff and take about 16 minutes)
3. Location: Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
4. First Match: Mexico vs South Africa (Friday, 12th June, 00:30 AM IST)

2.Opening Ceremony of Canada Date: Friday, June 12, 2026

1. Time: 11:00 PM IST
2. Venue: Toronto Stadium, Toronto (BMO Field)
3. Canada v Bosnia & Herzegovina (First Match, Saturday, 13th June at 12:30 AM IST)

3. Opening Ceremony – United States (USA)

1. Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026
2. Time: 05:00 AM IST
3. Venue: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California
4. First Match: USA vs Paraguay (Saturday, 13 June, 06:30 AM IST)

Star Performing Line-Up

The live debut of “Dai Dai,” the official FIFA World Cup 2026 anthem, will be one of the biggest attractions of the event.

The line-up of blockbuster performers is:

• Shakira (Co-headliner & Queen of World Cup Anthems)
• Burna Boy (Co-headliner)
• J Balvin
• Tyla
• Alejandro Fernández
• Belinda
• Danny Ocean
• Lila Downs
• Los Angeles Azules
• Maná (Spanish)
• Ryan Castro

  Special Appearance: Hollywood superstar Salma Hayek Pinault will also adorn the stage, appearing as an official FIFA World Cup ambassador during the celebrations.

Where to Watch Live FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremonies in India

Indian football fans can watch the opening ceremonies and matches live on the following platforms:

1. Television (Paid TV): Live telecast on the new launch of Unite8 Sports Network (Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD) with English and Hindi commentary.
2. Digital Live Stream (OTT): Live streaming will be available on ZEE5 app and website (sports subscription pack required).3.
3. Free-to-Air TV (FREE): Under the sports broadcasting sharing arrangement, the opening ceremonies, semi-finals, finals and selected major matches will be telecast completely FREE on DD Sports.