Katy Perry, LISA, Anitta and More Headline 2026 FIFA World Cup USA Opening Ceremony at SoFi Stadium

The 2026 FIFA World Cup USA Opening Ceremony turned SoFi Stadium into a full-on global music event Friday night. Katy Perry headlined alongside LISA, Anitta, Tyla, Rema, Future, Dan + Shay, and Purahei Soul in front of a crowd that had no idea the night would hit as hard as it did.

Future and Tyla opened things up 90 minutes before kickoff with their official World Cup track "Game Time." LISA, Anitta, and Rema followed with "Goals," another cut off the official World Cup album. The energy was already there before Perry even stepped on the field.

Katy Perry's "Wonder" Performance Was the Emotional Center of the Night

Katy Perry performed "Wonder" alongside 10-year-old Norwegian singer Tius Luka, marking the song's live debut. The track comes off Perry's 2024 album 143, and with the flags of every competing nation surrounding the stage, the moment landed exactly the way it was designed to. Luka's presence brought the song's theme of holding onto innocence into sharp focus for an all-ages World Cup crowd.

Dan + Shay closed the ceremony with "The Star-Spangled Banner" while Purahei Soul performed the Paraguayan national anthem before the U.S. Men's National Team kicked off against Paraguay. The U.S. won 4-1.

Three Countries, Three Ceremonies, One Tournament

The Los Angeles ceremony was the last of three opening events across the three host nations. Mexico City's Estadio Azteca went first Thursday night with Shakira, Burna Boy, J Balvin, Maná, and Tyla, among others. Toronto's BMO Field followed with Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé, Alessia Cara, and Jessie Reyez, among others.

Tyla is the only artist who performed at more than one opening ceremony, appearing in both Mexico City and Los Angeles. And if you're already looking ahead, Shakira is set to headline the World Cup Final halftime show alongside BTS and Madonna. That bill alone is worth circling on the calendar.

For LA's creative and music community, this ceremony was a reminder of what the city looks like when it's the center of a global moment. Inglewood held it down. The lineup pulled from every corner of the world's charts and the stage was built for it.

The U.S. plays Australia next on June 19. Watch for how the World Cup's music programming continues to unfold as the tournament deepens.