06/04/26 05:02:00
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06/04 05:00 CDT Trio of star-studded World Cup opening ceremonies in US, Canada
and Mexico aim to showcase unity
Trio of star-studded World Cup opening ceremonies in US, Canada and Mexico aim
to showcase unity
By COLLEEN BARRY
Associated Press
MILAN (AP) --- The World Cup will feature an unprecedented trio of star-studded
opening ceremonies in the host nations, the United States, Canada and Mexico,
created by the Italian producer behind the opening ceremony for this year's
Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Marco Balich, fresh off the Olympics opening ceremony, which included a parade
of athletes spread across four venues, said he was up to the challenge of
producing three shows in three cities, with teams numbering 260 to 300 people
in each city.
The ceremonies' unifying theme will be "the celebration of sports, the passion
for soccer, symbolized by the cup itself," Balich said. "The idea is to narrate
with three points of view and languages," using design aesthetics
representative of each culture.
In Canada, a mosaic will represent its multicultural identity. Mexico's motif
will be the traditional paper cutouts called papel picado, while the United
States will have "a super shiny, glowing cup," said Balich, who also produced
the opening ceremony for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Balich called it a "very good sign" that Canada, Mexico and the U.S. were
working together to host "a peaceful World Cup."
"I think it's very important that we stress the fact that the three nations are
working together to host a very important and relevant championship, especially
in this moment where there is so much controversy on the political side,'' said
Balich, founder of Balich Wonder Studios. "But the people are people, and they
will get together and enjoy."
Each ceremony will feature top artistic performances that tap into the national
identity, but Balich said spectators shouldn't expect a Super Bowl-style
halftime extravaganza. Instead, the ceremonies will combine welcoming speeches,
a parade of flags, the presentation of the match ball and about 30 minutes of
musical entertainment.
"It's a celebration of football, FIFA and the fact that, thanks to soccer,
people get together in peace and harmony," Balich said.
Each ceremony will be held about 90 minutes before game time, following a
25-minute player warm-up that organizers hope will prompt spectators to arrive
early.
While the Super Bowl celebrates "a game that is only famous in the U.S., the
rest of the world plays soccer, and has a passion that is shared,'' Balich said.
The festivities launch on June 11 in Mexico City, ahead of the Mexico
City-South Africa match, with a show featuring Latin rock band Man, Colombian
singer J Balvin and South African pop star Tyla.
They continue June 12 in Toronto ahead of the Canada-Bosnia and Herzegovina
game, with Alanis Morissette and Michael Bubl headlining, before heading to
Los Angeles Stadium later that day for the U.S.-Paraguay opener.
International stars will take the stage at Los Angeles Stadium, including Katy
Perry, global pop star LISA, Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema, Brazilian pop artist
Anitta, and hip-hop artist Future.
The Italian producer is enjoying the distinction of producing the two biggest
sports ceremonies in the world this year --- the 2026 Winter Games opening
ceremony and 2026 World Cup --- even as Italy sits out its third straight World
Cup.
"It is very encouraging, actually, to compensate the sad news that Italy is not
there this time," Balich said, adding that Italy's absence "which is a disaster
for us, has also enabled us to be very impartial" in celebrating each country
"in a similar way."
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
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