Fact Check: Is Bad Bunny set to perform at the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony?

The rumor comes after Bad Bunny's much-debated performance at the NFL Halftime Show last month

PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO

Viral social media post claims that Bad Bunny will be performing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: As the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are in full swing, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms that Bad Bunny will be performing at the game’s opening ceremony, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Let us analyze the origins of the rumor and fact-check the viral claim.

Claim: Bad Bunny to perform at FIFA opening ceremony

This comes after the Puerto Rican rapper’s much-debated performance at the NFL Halftime Show last month (@HoopsCrave/X)

According to the viral claim that has surfaced on X on Thursday, March 26, Bad Bunny will be performing at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony.

This comes after the Puerto Rican rapper’s much-debated performance at the NFL Halftime Show last month.

The post has garnered more than seven hundred thousand views and thousands of likes as of this writing and continues to go viral.

The comments under the post even suggest that many believe the claim to be true, while a few others expressed scepticism.

Fact Check: The claim originated as a satire

Bad Bunny performs during halftime of Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) — Bad Bunny performs during halftime of Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026, in Santa Clara, California (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

The claim, however, is false, as there is no official announcement from FIFA or the artist about the performance for the opening ceremony of the much-awaited games.

Moreover, the claim originated from a popular parody account called ‘Hoops Crave’ that often posts such fake and unverified claims for the sake of engagement.

A search on Google for the claim yielded no results from any prominent sports media outlets about his performance in the upcoming games.

A fact check by Grok also confirmed the claim to be false, stating, “No official FIFA confirmation on him performing at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony—it's an unverified rumor/speculation. Betting and reports lean more toward him possibly headlining the final halftime show instead.”

Donald Trump's Iran World Cup remark sparks debate

President Donald Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) — President Donald Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 05, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

The claim surfaced as the United States’ conflict with Iran continues to escalate, and Donald Trump has sparked global debate after saying Iran will be welcome to compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.

The statement was revealed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who said Trump assured him the Iranian national team could enter the US to play in the tournament.

The team is scheduled to play group matches in Los Angeles and Seattle during the tournament. FIFA says the World Cup must remain a global event that unites nations beyond politics.

However, the geopolitical tensions surrounding Iran’s participation are now fueling intense debate worldwide.