Alanis Morissette to Headline Canada's World Cup Opening Ceremony with Star-Studded Lineup
Alanis Morissette is all set to dazzle soccer fans with her performance at Canada's opening ceremony before the FIFA World Cup game on home soil. The Ottawa-born singer will sing the national anthem as Canada takes on Bosnia-Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium. The pre-match ceremony will feature a lineup of Canadian artists, including Michael Bublé, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, William Prince, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream, and Elyanna. Comedian Will Arnett will also participate as an ambassador for this year's World Cup, with Serbian-born violinist Aleksandar Gajic performing Bosnia-Herzegovina's anthem. The opening ceremony is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET, 90 minutes before kickoff.
The event will bring together Toronto's Reyez and Palestine's Elyanna, who collaborated on the high-energy track "Illuminate" from FIFA's official World Cup 2026 album. The U.S. opening ceremony will also take place tonight before the Americans' match against Paraguay, featuring performances by Katy Perry, Anitta, Future, LISA, Rema, and Tyla. Perry recently made headlines for her relationship with former prime minister Justin Trudeau, whom she referred to as "the love of my life" during a Q-and-A session at the premiere of her Lifetimes Tour concert film. The FIFA album features collaborations like "Goals" by Anitta, LISA, and Rema, and "Game Time" by Future and Tyla, curated by hitmaker Cirkut to reflect the cultural diversity of the host countries.
Cirkut shared that the project aimed to bring a unique flavor to each song and artist, representing the diversity of Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The upbeat and anthemic songs were crafted to match the energy of soccer matches while standing out on their own. The producer expressed excitement about hearing the music in stadiums worldwide, emphasizing the joy of nations coming together to compete in the sport. The opening ceremony promises to be a vibrant celebration of music and culture, setting the stage for an exciting World Cup tournament.