FIFA 2026 kicks off in Canada: Nora Fatehi shines as empty seats spark debate

Toronto: The maiden FIFA World Cup in Canada kicked off on Friday with a star-studded second opening ceremony ahead of the Group B clash between co-hosts Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto’s BMO Field.

Bollywood actor and dancer Nora Fatehi was the highlight of the event, performing the official World Cup song Siir Siir. Canada is hosting the FIFA World Cup for the first time and began their campaign against Bosnia and Herzegovina, who qualified for the tournament by defeating European giants Italy.

The opening ceremony also featured performances by Vegedream and Sanjoy, who took centre stage at the majestic Toronto stadium. Additional performances included Canadian artists Jessie Reyez and Alessia Cara, as well as Palestinian singer Elyanna.

Some fans took to social media criticising FIFA for hosting another opening ceremony, calling it less exciting than expected. Observers also noted empty seats in Toronto. Meanwhile, the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City was reportedly packed, though the Group C match between South Korea and Czechia at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara saw visible gaps in the stands.

Reports indicate that a day before the tournament, roughly 180,000 tickets remained on FIFA's official resale platforms, with about 15,000 group-stage tickets still available via FIFA’s website.

FIFA denied that the stadium in Guadalajara was empty, clarifying in a post on X (formerly Twitter): "Official attendance figures reflect tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than visual assessments of seating at any moment. Several ticketed fans could be seen standing in concourses rather than their assigned seats."