DUBAI: Palestinian-Chilean singer-songwriter Elyanna and Moroccan-Canadian star Nora Fatehi were among the headlining acts as Canada staged an historic opening ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, marking the first time the tournament has launched with interconnected celebrations across multiple host nations.
Produced by renowned Italian creative director Marco Balich, the ceremonies in Toronto formed the second part of a three-country opening spectacle spanning Canada, the US and Mexico.
The event was staged 90 minutes before the host nation’s opening match and was linked by a shared theme highlighting football’s power to unite cultures and communities across borders.
Fatehi took to the stage to perform her Fifa song, “Siir Siir.” It was inspired by the popular Moroccan football chant, which means "go, go", and she hopes it can become a global rallying call for all the teams in the tournament. The lively track – created alongside Vegedream and Sanjoy – features a mix of Moroccan Darija, Arabic, French and English.
The 24-year-old Elyanna is also part of the official World Cup soundtrack. “Illuminate” is a collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez, and is produced by Canadian hitmaker Cirkut, whose credits include Katy Perry's Roar and Miley Cyrus's Wrecking Ball.
At Toronto’s BMO Field, Elyanna and Fatehi joined a diverse lineup that included Michael Buble, Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Reyez, Vegedream, Sanjoy and William Prince ahead of Canada’s World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The celebrations followed Thursday’s opening event in Mexico City, where Shakira and Burna Boy led a star-studded lineup before Mexico’s match against South Africa.
