Afrobeats star Rema electrified the crowd at the United States opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, delivering a standout performance of “Goals”, a track featured on the tournament’s official soundtrack.
The singer took the stage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, performing alongside Brazilian artist Anitta and South Korean singer Lisa in a coordinated set that formed part of the US-hosted ceremony.
The United States is co-hosting the global tournament with Mexico and Canada, each of which held separate opening events to mark the start of the competition.
While Burna Boy had earlier appeared with Shakira at Mexico’s ceremony on Thursday, Canada’s edition featured performances from Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette at Toronto Stadium.
In the US event, Rema captivated the audience dressed in an all-white hooded outfit, joining a large ensemble of dancers performing in front of a massive World Cup trophy display. Other performers included South African star Tyla and American rapper Future.
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Meanwhile, Davido featured at the tournament’s official countdown concert held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where he wore a symbolic jacket decorated with 46 green lapels inscribed with the names of 39 abducted pupils and seven teachers from Oyo State. The back of the outfit carried the message, “Bring Them Home.”
The 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, officially began on June 11, featuring 48 national teams competing for football’s biggest prize.
