Does this video really show FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony 2026 and a fake Shakira? Fact Check
Claim: A video purportedly shows the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony with comments claiming that Shakira used a body double during her performance.
Conclusion: The claim is false. The video was generated using AI, and none of the three official FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremonies in Mexico, Canada or the United States resemble the footage shown in claim. Shakira did perform at the opening ceremony but there is no evidence that she used a body double.
Rating: False 
Several social media users have shared a video, claiming that it is the opening ceremony of the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Verified X user ‘RutoJames7113’ shared such a video with the caption : “Shakira’s performance today was nothing short of legendary. The aura, the moves, the vocals, she turned the opening ceremony into her own concert. Simply epic.” Attached to the post is a 9 minute 16 second long video which can be seen below –
Shakira’s performance today was nothing short of legendary. The aura, the moves, the vocals, she turned the opening ceremony into her own concert. Simply epic. pic.twitter.com/0APAJaKzfQ
— Ruto James (@RutoJames7113) June 11, 2026
Moreover, in another post some users have also claimed that Shakira used a body double and was not actually present. Verified X user ‘TermoEcu2021’ shared such a post with the caption (translated into English) : “That’s not Shakira. Watch how she messes up the step when she sings Dai Dai… That’s a double. Shakira lied to everyone.” View the post below –
Esa no es Shakira.
Vean como se equivoca en el paso cuando canta Dai Dai…
Esa es una doble.
Shakira les mintió a todo el mundo. pic.twitter.com/c3nxeCBufQ— TermoEcu 🇪🇨🇪🇦🎙⚽️ (@TermoEcu2021) June 11, 2026
FACT CHECK
DigitEYE India decided to investigate these claims and found them to be false. The opening ceremony footage of the claim was created using AI-generated visuals, and it does not match any of the official FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremonies held in Mexico, Canada or the United States. While Shakira did appear at the tournament’s opening event, there is no credible evidence to support claims that she used a body double during her performance.
Details:
Analyzing the first claim about opening ceremony, we conducted a web search with the phrase “Mexico City FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening” to learn more. According to a BBC report, FIFA World Cup 2026 opened in Mexico City with a vibrant ceremony celebrating football, culture, and music, featuring performances by Shakira, J Balvin, Burna Boy, Danny Ocean, Fher Olvera of Maná, Andrea Bocelli, Ejae, Alejandro Fernández, and Tyla. Mexico went on to defeat South Africa 2-0 in the tournament’s opening match. View a section of the report below –
We further learned that the opening ceremony began at 11:30 a.m. local time in Mexico, making the nighttime setting shown in the claim entirely unsubstantiated. We downloaded the video and analyzed it using Hive Moderation’s AI detection tool to verify its authenticity, and the results confirmed that the footage was AI-generated. A screenshot of the results can be seen below –
More clips have been shared by FIFA pertaining to the Opening Ceremony in Mexico City on 11th June, 2026. The clips of the opening ceremony in Canada and in the USA can be seen here and here respectively. None of these match the video in the claim.
Next, we searched about Shakira’s presence during the FIFA World Cup Mexico City 2026 opening ceremony and landed on the full performance video uploaded by FIFA.
A report by Grazia addressed viral claims that Shakira used a body double. However, the report found no credible evidence supporting the theory. Shakira’s distinctive forehead scar all matched the performer seen on stage and there was “zero credible sourcing” to support the rumor. DigitEYE India did not come across any proof that indicates she used a body double. While Shakira did miss a step (this can be seen at timestamp 0:20 in the claim), this does not mean she used a body double. Credible media outlets confirm her presence and she has not yet officially addressed these rumours.
Thus, the claim is false.
