Katy Perry Dazzles During World Cup Opening Ceremony Performance
See Tom Cruise, Katy Perry & More Stars at U.S. 2026 World Cup Opener
Katy Perry left the crowd roaring at the 2026 World Cup Opening Ceremony.
The “Roar” hitmaker brought the house down ahead of the U.S. men’s national team’s first game against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles June 12 alongside Tyla, Future, Anitta, LISA and Rema.
For the show-stopping performance, Katy—who donned a silver sequin gown by Stella McCartney—shared the stage with 10-year-old singer Tius for a bubbly duet of her 2024 track "Wonder."
As the pair sang and danced to the song, flags of various nations were waved in a circle around them.
Taking in the momentous moment, Katy concluded the performance by lifting Tius—wearing a blue tracksuit—into her arms as the duo beamed with excitement.
The “California Girls” singer—who recently made her red carpet debut with former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau—revealed she would be a part of the ceremony’s stacked lineup May 8.
“Kicking my feet because I’m performing at the @fifaworldcup 2026 Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles on June 12th!” she wrote on Instagram. “Stay tuned for more info - don’t let this be #TheOneThatGotAway.”
But celebrations in L.A. are just one way the World Cup is kicking off its epic face-offs. For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, there were three opening ceremonies, starting in Mexico City June 11.
Indeed, before Mexico faced off against South Africa, fans in Azteca Stadium enjoyed a pregame performance from headliners Maná and Los Ángeles Azules, to name a few.
But the opening ceremonies didn’t end there. In Toronto, where the Canadian men’s team takes on Bosnia and Herzegovina June 12, Michael Bublé performed alongside Alessia Cara, Alanis Morissette, and more.
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Though a slew of stars marked the official commencement of the 2026 premier international soccer tournament, the musical performances won’t stop there.
After all, BTS, Shakira and Madonna will hit the stage at FIFA’s inaugural World Cup Final Halftime Show at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19.
And the milestone will be especially monumental for the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer, who first performed at the World Cup 20 years ago, a milestone which she says changed her life.
“I have this connection with [soccer] that seems unbreakable,” Shakira told People in an interview published June 3. “Every World Cup is really magical, and I think this one is going to be all about bringing people together in this very sensitive moment in time, socially and politically.”
For more on the international players to watch during the 2026 world cup, read on…
Eric Alonso/Getty Images
Lamine Yamal
Age: 18
World Cup Team: Spain
Current Soccer Club: FC Barcelona (Spain)
Position: Midfielder
Don't let Yamal's age fool you. In just two years since his debut, the Spaniard already has a UEFA European Football Championship under his belt. He was also the runner-up for the Ballon d'Or—also known as the "Golden Ball," an award recognizing the best soccer player of the year—in 2025.
CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images
Lionel Messi
Age: 38
World Cup Team: Argentina
Current Soccer Club: Inter Miami CF (United States)
Position: Forward
History has its eyes on Messi, who is the most decorated player in the world of soccer. Not only is he the defending World Cup champion, but the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is on the cusp of becoming the first player to win back-to-back World Cups as the captain of his national team.
Clicks Images/Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo
Age: 41
World Cup Team: Portugal
Current Soccer Club: Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia)
Position: Forward
There's a reason why Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest players of all time. After all, he's scored over 970 goals in his career so far and shows no signs of stopping. He scored at least 100 goals while playing with each of his former clubs—Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus—as well as over 130 goals with his national team.
Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images
Harry Kane
Age: 32
World Cup Team: England
Current Soccer Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Position: Forward
Known as one of the best strikers of his generation, Kane is serving as the captain of England's national team for the third consecutive World Cup. In fact, the London native scored the winning goal at the team's warm-up match against New Zealand on June 6.
Stefan Matzke - sampics/Getty Images
Jamal Musiala
Age: 23
World Cup Team: Germany
Current Soccer Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Position: Midfielder
Ever since kicking off his professional soccer career at age 16, Musiala has been nicknamed "Bambi" for his graceful movements on the pitch. He made his World Cup debut at the 2022 tournament.
Heuler Andrey/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Neymar
Age: 34
World Cup Team: Brazil
Current Soccer Club: Santos FC (Brazil)
Position: Forward
Born Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, the mononymous sensation is his home country's all-time leading scorer after surpassing Pelé's 52-year record in 2023. He's looking to lead his team back to World Cup glory for the first time since 2002.
Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images
Luka Modric
Age: 40
World Cup Team: Croatia
Current Soccer Club: AC Milan (Italy)
Position: Midfielder
Considered Croatia's greatest soccer player, Modric captained the nation's team to a third-place victory at the 2018 World Cup. He also holds the record for most caps for Croatia, playing for the country more than 190 times on the international stage.
Angel Martinez/Getty Images
Kylian Mbappe
Age: 27
World Cup Team: France
Current Soccer Club: Real Madrid (Spain)
Position: Forward
Mbappe took home the World Cup when he made his debut in 2018. And after coming close in 2022, with Argentina defeating France in a penalty shoot-out, the Frenchman is undoubtedly entering this year's competition with fire in his belly.
Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images
Vinicius Junior
Age: 25
World Cup Team: Brazil
Current Soccer Club: Real Madrid (Spain)
Position: Forward
Born Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior, the Brazilian soccer superstar was crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Player and runner-up to the Ballon d'Or in 2024. In his second World Cup appearance, Vini Jr. is hoping to end Brazil's 24-year wait for the trophy.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Wow
0
Sad
0
Angry
0
Comments (0)