The 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada is starting, and ZDF is kicking off the tournament with a countdown for its viewers. On Thursday, June 11, 2026, starting at 5:15 PM, football fans can tune into the second channel to get in the mood for the World Cup.
Host Katrin Müller-Hohenstein and host Jochen Breyer will lead viewers through the opening show according to the broadcaster, joined by the ZDF expert team including Per Mertesacker and Christoph Kramer, Christian Streich, Friederike Kromp, and Thorsten Kinhöfer.
The World Cup will be broadcast completely live on MagentaTV, where pre-match reports for the opening game between Mexico and South Africa will also be shown ahead of kickoff. Participating will be Thomas Müller, Jürgen Klopp, Mats Hummels, Laura Wontorra, Johannes B. Kerner, Wolff Fuss, and Robert Andrich.
Three Opening Ceremonies - One with Shakira
90 minutes before kickoff of the opening match between co-host Mexico and South Africa, the World Cup opening ceremony will take place at 7:30 PM German time in Mexico City, which viewers can also watch on TV. Pop star Shakira and singer Burna Boy will perform the official tournament song "Dai Dai". In addition to the two of them, Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, and Tyla are also scheduled to perform.
Shakira is giving a behind-the-scenes look on Instagram at her rehearsals. The images and clips show the Colombian singer in black pants and a simple top during rehearsals for her performance - complete with signature hip shake - at what is likely to be one of the most-watched music events of the year. "It's been a week of non-stop rehearsals for us, we're ready!! I can't wait to see you all tomorrow at the @fifaworldcup opening ceremony", she commented.
Additional opening ceremonies will also take place on Friday (local time) in Toronto and Los Angeles. In Canada, artists such as Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, and Michael Bublé are expected to take the stage. In Los Angeles, performers will include Katy Perry, Future, and Anitta, among others.
Opening Match Starts at 9 PM
But before that, on Thursday, the highlight of the first World Cup day is on the schedule: At 9:00 PM, kickoff for the tournament will take place at the Azteca Stadium. ZDF will broadcast the match between host Mexico and South Africa on TV and via stream. Oliver Schmidt will provide commentary for the opening match.
