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Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé and Alessia Cara were among the Canadian artists who who welcomed the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a live performance in Toronto on Friday.
Cara opened the spectacle with an elaborate performance that featured more than two dozen dancers waving flags and holding up art objects depicting Canadian wildlife. The singer-songwriter performed “Wild Things” from her 2016 debut album “Know-It-All,” which also includes her breakthrough single “Here.”
After Cara left the stage, the gold-rimmed football structure from which she had emerged transformed into a globe – and singer Nora Fatehi, DJ Sanjoy and rapper Vegedream took the helm. The trio performed “Siir,” which appeared on the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album. Elyanna and Jessie Reyez continued the evening with another single from the album: “Illuminate.”
Morissette and Bublé in action
Morissette kicked off the transition into game mode, belting out a rousing version of the Canadian national anthem “O Canada,” while Yugoslavian musician Aleksandar Gajić performed the Bosnian-Herzegovinian national anthem on the violin. As an emotional climax, Bublé took the stage with the Sole Power Choir and intoned his version of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home to Me”.
The star cast gathered shortly before the group game between Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
“The opening ceremony in Toronto will be a powerful reflection of Canadian identity and the energy surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a statement. “Through music, culture and unforgettable performances, we will welcome the world with a celebration that is deeply Canadian while remaining connected to a larger story unfolding in Mexico and the United States. It will be a moment of pride, unity and anticipation as Canada takes its place on soccer’s biggest stage.”
Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, Lisa and Rema will open the first World Cup game on US soil later on Friday in Los Angeles. At the opening ceremony on Thursday at the Estadio Ciudad de México (Estadio Azteca), Shakira and Burna Boy presented the official World Cup song “Dai Dai”.
But the biggest spectacle is yet to come: In a historic first, Shakira, Madonna and BTS will headline the first-ever halftime show of a World Cup final – on July 19th at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The event will also raise money for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.