Reports say live performances were staged across the host cities, with supporters watching in person and on screens. Andrea Bocelli reportedly opened in Mexico City, while Bryan Adams performed in Toronto and Davido featured in Los Angeles.
The choice of artists matters. A global tournament needs a global soundtrack, but it also needs local identity. Each city can offer its own culture while remaining part of the wider World Cup story.
That approach should prove especially valuable in a tournament spread across a vast geographical footprint. For supporters unable to attend a match, fan zones can become the place where the occasion feels most immediate.
Toronto’s planned festival at Fort York and the Bentway is expected to combine concerts with live match broadcasts on giant screens. Vancouver is also preparing a programme featuring regional and national performers.
“The music will complement the matches,” Vancouver music programmer Paul Runnals said. “The idea is to keep the energy going and showcase regional and national artists.”
That is the central challenge: entertainment must enhance the football rather than compete with it. The best fan festivals will give supporters something to do before kick-off, during breaks and after the final whistle, while keeping the match at the heart of the day.
As the tournament approaches, the next test will be whether these linked events can turn separate host cities into one convincing football community. For Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles, the build-up has already begun with a song before a ball has been kicked.