Italy will not be on the field at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the country will still play a major role behind the scenes.
Milan based Balich Wonder Studio will direct the tournament’s opening ceremonies across all three host nations.
FIFA has selected the Italian company to oversee the first ever connected World Cup opening events in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
The first ceremony will take place on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
Two more linked ceremonies will follow on June 12 in Los Angeles and Toronto.
Each event will be held in the local language and will reflect the culture of the host country, while sharing one overall creative theme.
Balich Wonder Studio founder Marco Balich said this World Cup will be historic in many ways.
“It will be a World Cup of firsts: three ceremonies in three different countries, 48 teams competing instead of 32, and the first time a creative studio has handled both the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and a World Cup in the same year.”
Balich said the project is also about creating unity between the three host nations.
“It is important to foster a sense of unity among these three countries, whose relationships have been somewhat complicated recently.”
The ceremonies will be shorter than Olympic opening events because matches will take place soon after.
Each show will last 30 minutes, plus 15 minutes of official protocol. Global stars including Katy Perry, Alanis Morissette, Future, Anitta, Rema, Tyla, LISA and Michael Bublé are expected to perform.
Shakira is also expected to sing the official World Cup song. Balich said managing one creative vision across three countries has been the biggest challenge.
“The challenge is effectively staging a single event across three locations. Creating the right energy while respecting each country’s identity is extremely important.”
Around 30 core team members in Milan have worked on the project for the past 18 months. They are supported by about 300 staff members in each host nation.
That brings the total workforce to around 900 people. FIFA will cover the cost, though the full budget has not been revealed.
Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third straight time. Still, through Balich Wonder Studio, Italy will have a visible role at football’s biggest event.
