The singer will perform during the opening ceremony of the popular sporting event in Los Angeles on June 12
Credit: Greg Swales.
NEED TO KNOW
- Katy Perry will perform during the opening ceremony of the FIFA 2026 World Cup in Los Angeles on Friday, June 12
- The singer told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that her set list will include a song she has never performed live before
- The sporting event officially kicks off on Thursday, June 11, and it will run through Sunday, July 19
Katy Perry is bringing something new to the FIFA World Cup.
The singer, 41, will perform during the opening ceremony of the popular sporting event in Los Angeles on Friday, June 12.
Perry told PEOPLE exclusively that her set list will include something special — a song she has never performed live before.
"It's very fitting for the ceremonial song that I get to sing," the star explained of the specific tune as she attended the Tribeca Festival premiere of her latest concert film, Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour — Live from Paris, on Monday, June 8.
"And it's not new," she further teased. "It's off of one of my records, and I'm very excited to perform it."
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Credit: Ricardo Rubio/Europa Press via Getty
The FIFA 2026 World Cup officially kicks off on Thursday, June 11, with the Mexico vs. South Africa game in Mexico City. The quadrennial soccer tournament will feature 48 different national teams from across the globe competing, and it will end on Sunday, July 19.
The first opening ceremony in Mexico City includes performances from Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules and Maná, as well as Shakira and Burna Boy, who will perform “Dai Dai” — the official song for the worldwide tournament — for the first time.
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A second opening ceremony will follow in Canada at the BMO Field in Toronto on June 12, with performances from Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream, William Prince and more.
Later that same day, Perry will take the stage, as will Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla for the United States' opening ceremony. Dan + Shay have also been tapped to sing the national anthem, while Purahei Soul will perform the Paraguay national anthem.
Credit: MJ Photos/Shutterstock
Perry's performance at the sporting event comes after she wrapped her Lifetimes tour in late 2025.
The music outing saw the pop star perform songs from her latest album, 143, including "Woman's World," "I'm His, He's Mine," "Nirvana" and "Crush," as well as other hits from her iconic discography, such as "California Gurls," "I Kissed a Girl," "Roar" and "Firework."
Following its premiere at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York City, Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour — Live from Paris is set to premiere in theaters later this summer.
Comparing her Lifetimes Tour and her 2012 concert documentary movie, Part of Me — which followed Perry on her California Dreams tour in support of her Teenage Dream album — the mother of one said, "That was more of a documentary about my life, and this is really a concert experience at the highest level for my fans. I mean, I'm doing all of this for my fans because they're the ones who helped me along for all these years, for over 18 years."
The FIFA 2026 World Cup opening ceremony in the U.S. begins at 1:30 p.m. EST / 4:30 p.m. PST on June 12, and the game, between the U.S. and Paraguay, kicks off at 3 p.m. EST / 6 p.m. PST on Fox Sports and Telemundo.
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