Shakira Opens the 2026 World Cup at the Azteca — but a "Body Double" Theory Takes Over Social Media

The 2026 World Cup, taking place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, was ceremonially opened at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The main moment of the ceremony was a performance by Shakira — she performed the song Dai Dai together with Nigerian artist Burna Boy. This is already the Colombian singer's fourth appearance at World Cups.

Shakira performed in a yellow bodysuit with matching long gloves and a white mini-skirt with layered lilac and yellow inserts in an early-2000s style. The look was completed by white high-top platform trainers with yellow laces, loose wavy hair with a light auburn tint, and sunglasses. Her styling was the work of the singer's regular stylist Nicolas Bru — Shakira had already shown a similar look earlier at the Maracanã Stadium in a teaser for her new song.

The stage was adorned with a giant replica of the World Cup trophy. Besides Shakira and Burna Boy, the ceremony featured J Balvin, Maná, Los Ángeles Azules, Belinda, Danny Ocean, and Alejandro Fernández.

Despite the rapturous reviews of the song Dai Dai itself since its release, the performance at the ceremony triggered an unexpected wave of discussion. Within minutes of Shakira coming on stage, the social network X filled with messages asking whether it was really the singer herself on the Azteca pitch. Among the most popular phrasings were "that's not Shakira" and "am I the only one who thinks that wasn't the real Shakira."

Several factors fuelled the rumours: the dark glasses the singer kept on for most of the performance, movements unfamiliar to viewers, and the artist's general appearance.

That said, some viewers came to the singer's defence, urging people not to jump to conclusions based on unflattering footage and reminding them that stage lighting, make-up, costume, and choreography adapted for the television format of a large-scale show can substantially change how an artist's appearance is perceived.

In 2006, Shakira performed at the closing ceremony of the championship in Germany with a reworked version of her hit Hips Don't Lie. In 2010, the song Waka Waka, recorded with the South African group Freshlyground, became the official song of the World Cup in South Africa. In 2014 in Brazil, Shakira performed a song recorded together with Carlinhos Brown for the tournament's official album.