The FIFA World Cup 2026™ for the United States, Canada, and Mexico kicked off on a historic note in the Canadian region on June 12th, 2026 at 2:15 PM Eastern Time. As one of the three joint hosts of this edition of the World Cup, Canada set the stage for the grand opening ceremony at the Toronto Stadium, temporarily renamed from BMO Field for the duration of the World Cup, marking the ignition of the World Cup competition within Canadian borders.
The opening ceremony in Toronto, orchestrated by the renowned event production company Balich Wonder Studio, took place 90 minutes before the kickoff of Canada’s first group stage match. The ceremony, themed “Journey through Canada,” showcased the diverse culture and community cohesion of the host nation along its coastline.
Among the tens of thousands of cheering fans at the venue, the World Cup Trophy, symbolizing Canada’s rich cultural mosaic, made a striking appearance with a fresh visual identity.
A lineup of heavyweight Canadian and international musicians and celebrities took the stage to perform and boost the atmosphere. The stellar lineup included local stars like Michael Bublé, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, William Prince, and the rock diva Alanis Morissette, who led the rendition of the Canadian national anthem.
Special guests at the ceremony included the World Cup Ambassador and Canadian Hollywood actor Will Arnett.
International artists who joined the celebration were Palestinian singer Elyanna, French powerhouse Vegedream, Bangladeshi-American DJ Sanjoy, and Nora Fatehi, who had performed at the Qatar World Cup. Jessie Reyez and Elyanna even performed a live duet of the new song “Illuminate,” featured on the official album of this edition of the World Cup, elevating the excitement in the air.
As the grand opening ceremony concluded, the Canadian national men’s football team played their first-ever World Cup match on home soil at 3:00 PM, facing the European powerhouse Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first round of Group B matches at the Toronto Stadium.
Prime Minister Mark Carney had previously expressed that Canada was fully prepared to welcome the world with open arms. With the official start of the matches in the Toronto region, other Canadian host cities like Vancouver will soon witness top-tier showdowns as well.
This edition of the United States, Canada, and Mexico World Cup saw an expansion to 48 teams. While Mexico had already played their opening match on Thursday, the opening match and celebration in the United States region will follow in Los Angeles later today.