What to know
- Toronto hosted part of FIFA’s first-ever World Cup Countdown Concert.
- The event was broadcast alongside performances from Los Angeles and Mexico City.
- Bryan Adams, The Beaches, Nora Fatehi, AHI and Wyclef Jean represented Canada.
- The concert marked the final countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup kickoff.
- Canada opened its tournament campaign against Bosnia and Herzegovina the following day.
Bryan Adams, The Beaches, AHI with Wyclef Jean, Nora Fatehi with Sanjoy and Vegedream all performed at Toronto’s Fort York Historical Site and The Bentway on June 10, as part of a first-of-its-kind live broadcast, alternating with acts in Los Angeles and Mexico City for FIFA’s World Cup Countdown Concert.
The event was promoted as “Three Cities. One Concert. One World United Through Football and Music.”
With a countdown clock also frequently appearing on the lower right side of the TV screen, starting at 18 hours — until the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup, Thursday at the 3 p.m., between Mexico and South Africa — one of the world’s greatest voices, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli opened the 90-minute show from Mexico City, singing “Nelle tue mani (Now We Are Free) from the film Gladiator, backed by a full orchestra and choir.
Mexico is the first country to host the World Cup for the third time.
Each city had its own host and a video montage showcasing its food, people, architecture, landmarks, and, of course, soccer. The Toronto stage included images of the iconic CN Tower inside a bulbous graphic of the numbers 2-6.
Bryan Adams, dressed in a black Adidas tracksuit, was the first onstage in Toronto, starting with one of his new songs, “Roll With the Punches,” whose lyrics could apply to letting a goal in before a final triumphing (kind of like the Knicks game on at the same time that day) :
You got to roll with the punches, take it on the chin
Roll with the punches, might lose before you win
And get knocked down to the ground, but that don’t change a thing
Roll with the punches and get back up again
The Ottawa native followed it up with “Summer of ’69,” at first riling up the crowd by teasing the familiar opening riff then stopping, as he looked out at the sea of people assembled at the makeshift venue that will host multiple concerts for FIFA Fan Festival, June 11 to July 19. Then, he played the full song, as phones went up to capture iconic song people know all over the world.
“Let the games begin,” Adams declared, before leaving the stage.
In Mexico City, following Bocelli, the lineup included Los Ángeles Azules, Belinda, and Elena Rose, while in Los Angeles it was Davido, Ava Max, BIA, and, closing the concert, Diplo’s EDM group Major Lazer.
Back at home, Adams was followed by Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, and Vegedream, performing a mini set that included “Oh Mama! Tetama,” “Ramanez la couple la Maison,” and their FIFA track “Siir Siir,” from the Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Album, in which Fatehi sings, “Many will come to take the spot / There only can be one at the top / Try to keep up with me if you got what it takes / You better shoot if you got the shot.”
When it was The Beaches’ turn to rock — all wearing black Adidas athletic outfits too — they were introduced as a band whose fans include the Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters and Elton John, and played just one and a half songs, “Edge of the Earth” and “Last Girls at the Party,” but were full-on fun, boisterous and energetic, as always.
Award-winning folk singer AHI was joined by Haitian-born American Wyclef Jean — and tons of kids, dancing and waving flags — on their FIFA song collab, “You Are Chosen,” which Jean produced.
“‘Cause you’re chosen / You’ll live up to the moment / Look into your eyes ’cause you’re golden / Rise to the occasion and own it,” AHI sang, as Jean played guitar.
When it was his turn at the mic, Jean couldn’t help reference Drake, that he was “in the Iceman’s city.” But Drake’s main game is basketball, which might be the reason he wasn’t on the Countdown Concert. Hopefully the lyric will serve as inspiration and motivation for the Canada team, which has a battle ahead.
In what was the first-ever FIFA World Cup game on home soil for the Canadian men’s national soccer team, Canada took on Bosnia & Herzegovina Friday (June 12) at 3 p.m. at BMO Field. Their next two games are in Vancouver, June 18 versus Quatar, then June 24 versus Switzerland.
Teams from 48 nations are divided into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group, plus the eight best third-place teams advance to a newly added Round of 32. There will be six games in Toronto; the sixth is a round of 32.
