The opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup has begun.

Axar.az reports, citing CNN, that the event is taking place in Mexico City at the iconic “Estadio Azteca”, where the tournament’s opening match will be played.

The ceremony is being held in a colorful format and features performances by world-famous artists, including Shakira, Andrea Bocelli, J Balvin, David Guetta, and Megan Thee Stallion, among others.

According to FIFA, this is the first of three opening ceremonies planned across the co-host nations, with additional events scheduled in the United States and Canada ahead of their respective opening matches.

The World Cup officially kicks off today with the Mexico–South Africa match. The game starts at 15:00 ET (23:00 Baku time).

This tournament marks the first World Cup featuring 48 national teams.