Shakira to headline World Cup 2026 opening ceremony in Mexico City alongside Madonna and BTS

Shakira will take centre stage at the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony in Mexico City on Thursday, performing her new official tournament anthem Dai Dai ahead of the hosts’ opening fixture against South Africa. The Colombian pop star is also confirmed to co-headline the World Cup final half-time show on July 19, sharing the bill with Madonna and K-pop group BTS.

The 48-year-old has become closely associated with the World Cup since her 2010 anthem Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) became one of the tournament’s most recognisable songs. Her selection to front the 2026 edition cements that connection across three separate tournaments.

Shakira’s personal life has attracted considerable attention alongside her professional return to the spotlight. She has been linked romantically to British actor Lucien Laviscount, 34 — best known for his roles in Waterloo Road and Netflix’s Emily in Paris — after the pair met on the set of her 2024 music video Punteria. The reported relationship drew comment given the 15-year age gap between them. However, Shakira appeared to distance herself from those reports in an interview with The Times in May, saying: “No romance for me for now. There’s no space or time in my life for that. My plate is quite full. My kids are my priority, and my career.”

The singer has also faced legal turbulence in recent years. Her former partner Antonio de la Rua, whom she dated for over a decade before their split in 2011, filed a $100 million (£75 million) lawsuit against her in December 2012. De la Rua claimed he was “the key architect” behind her management team and global business strategy, and sought a share of her future earnings. Shakira denied any formal business arrangement existed between them.

Her high-profile separation from former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Piqué — with whom she has two sons — also played out publicly after the pair announced their split in June 2022 following reports of infidelity. Shakira subsequently relocated from Barcelona to Miami with their children.

With the World Cup now under way, Shakira’s performance on Thursday will mark her most prominent return to the global stage since that period of personal upheaval.