Palestinian-Chilean singer-songwriter Elyanna and Moroccan-Canadian star Nora Fatehi were among the headlining acts as Canada staged a historic opening ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. This marked the first time the tournament launched with interconnected celebrations across multiple host nations.
Three-Country Spectacle
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.
Nora Fatehi's Performance
Fatehi took to the stage to perform her FIFA song, Siir Siir. Inspired by the popular Moroccan football chant meaning 'go, go', she hopes it can become a global rallying call for all teams in the tournament. The lively track, created alongside Vegedream and Sanjoy, features a mix of Moroccan Darija, Arabic, French, and English.
Elyanna's Contribution
The 24-year-old Elyanna is also part of the official World Cup soundtrack. Illuminate is a collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez, produced by Canadian hitmaker Cirkut, whose credits include Katy Perry's Roar and Miley Cyrus's Wrecking Ball.
Diverse Lineup
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.
