J Balvin walked out onto the Estadio Azteca turf Thursday as one of the most-watched performers on the planet, at least for the next few minutes, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup officially opened in Mexico City before a crowd of more than 80,000 and hundreds of millions watching around the world.

The ceremony began 90 minutes before the opening Group A match between Mexico and South Africa, drawing a lineup that included Shakira, Burna Boy, Maná, Belinda, Danny Ocean, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, and Tyla. The Estadio Azteca, the largest stadium in Latin America with a capacity of nearly 87,500, served as the venue for the first of three opening ceremonies in the 2026 tournament, which also includes celebrations in the United States and Canada. Billboard Olympics

J Balvin Performs Catalog Hits and Joins Ryan Castro on the Azteca Stage

Balvin opened his slot with his 2018 hit "Que Calor" before bringing out compatriot Ryan Castro to perform "Una a la Vez," a track from their joint album, Omerta. The pairing produced one of the most celebrated moments of the opening show, according to Billboard. The two Medellín-born artists shared the field the same week their collaborative project was still fresh on streaming platforms, released just over a month before the ceremony. TODAY.comBillboard

On the record's intentions, Balvin told Billboard: "It's like sealing our musical and personal brotherhood. In this career, it allows you to grow without ego, share visions, and forge new paths; it also pushes you out of your comfort zone to create something distinct." Castro, for his part, called the project a dream come true. "I feel that he saw something very special in me," Castro said. "I admire his work deeply and to be able to say that in my career and in my process I have an album with him is a dream come true." Yahoo!

Willy Chavarria Connects Colombia and Mexico Through the Look

For the occasion, Balvin wore a custom look by Willy Chavarria, the New York-based, Chicano designer whose work draws from Mexican-American heritage and whose profile has risen sharply over the past two years. The outfit combined a vivid orange shirt, pale-yellow tie, and loose mint-green trousers, stopping just short of a direct reference to the colors of the Mexican flag while making the cultural connection unmistakable, according to observers covering the ceremony's fashion. Born in California into a Mexican family, Chavarria has built his label around a bicultural identity where fashion, activism, and emotion intersect. In 2025, Time named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. The pairing of a Colombian artist in a Mexican-American designer's work, on a stage hosted by Mexico, carried a weight that went beyond wardrobe. Yahoo! + 2

The World Cup appearance arrives at the end of what has been one of the most active stretches of Balvin's live career. He concluded his Ciudad Primavera Stadium Tour, which traveled through Medellín, Bogotá, Cali, Pereira, Bucaramanga, Cúcuta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena, just days before stepping onto the Azteca stage. The press release from his team describes the run as drawing more than 260,000 fans across eight cities. At the Medellín launch of the tour, a 360-degree stage, cinematic visuals, and more than 70 dancers brought his catalog to life, with 56 of those dancers Colombian. LamezclaThe Source

The 2026 World Cup ceremonies were produced in creative partnership with Balich Wonder Studio, with each ceremony connected by a shared creative thread that reimagines the FIFA World Cup Trophy through the lens of each host country's culture. In Mexico, according to FIFA, the concept came to life through the art of papel picado, described as a symbol of tradition, craftsmanship, and joy. Olympics

For Balvin, the World Cup slot is one data point in a run that shows no signs of thinning. The Omerta album positions him alongside one of Latin urban music's most talked-about newer voices. The Colombia tour just finished. And the Azteca appearance, broadcast globally, reminded audiences outside the region exactly where he stands in the cultural conversation around Latin music right now.