A historic World Cup opening will feature Blackpink’s Lisa on June 12 at SoFi Stadium. She becomes the first female K-pop artist to perform at a FIFA World Cup opening ceremony. The Thai singer will appear before the US-Paraguay match in Los Angeles. Consequently, this World Cup opening also includes Katy Perry, Future, and DJ Sanjoy. FIFA has confirmed Lisa’s performance agreement for the tournament’s festivities. The Athletic reported these details on Friday about the signing.
This World Cup opening follows BTS member Jungkook’s performance at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He sang the official soundtrack Dreamers at that tournament’s opening event. Therefore, Lisa marks the second K-pop act ever to grace a World Cup opening. However, she stands as the first female solo K-pop artist achieving this honor. The 2026 tournament spans three host nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Organizers have planned three separate opening ceremonies for each host country accordingly.
Mexican acts Mana, Alejandro Fernandez, and Belinda will perform at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11. Michael Buble, Alanis Morissette, and Alessia Cara will appear in Toronto on June 12. The US and Canada ceremonies will each run for 13 minutes. The Mexico event will last 16 and a half minutes. The US World Cup opening will anchor itself around Lisa’s performance alongside other international stars. Lisa debuted with Blackpink in 2016 and built a remarkable solo career since then. Her 2021 solo single Lalisa recorded first-week sales exceeding 736,000 copies.
After releasing her 2025 album Alter Ego, Lisa continued putting out new music steadily. Her recent collaboration Bad Angel with Italian American producer Anyma gained significant attention. Consequently, her selection for the World Cup opening reflects her sustained global popularity. FIFA aims to attract younger audiences by featuring top pop stars at its events. The three-nation hosting format allows FIFA to celebrate diverse musical traditions as well. Canada and Mexico will showcase their own homegrown talent at their respective ceremonies.
Looking ahead, this World Cup opening will likely boost Lisa’s already massive international profile. She has previously performed at major events like the Oscars and MTV Video Music Awards. However, the World Cup opening reaches an even broader global audience than those shows. Broadcasters will air the ceremony in over 200 countries simultaneously. The event also serves as a warm-up for the 2026 tournament’s expanded 48-team format. YG Entertainment has not announced additional details about Lisa’s setlist yet. Nevertheless, fans eagerly anticipate what could become a career-defining moment. This World Cup opening will surely highlight her journey as a solo artist.
