BLACKPINK member Lisa to appear on the opening stage of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup. Kyunghyang Shinmun file photo
BLACKPINK member Lisa will take the stage at the opening of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup.
The New York Times (NYT) sister outlet ‘The Athletic’ reported on the 8th (local time) that Lisa has signed a performance contract with FIFA and has been included in the opening show lineup.
Four years after BTS member Jungkook performed the official soundtrack ‘Dreamers’ at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, a K-pop singer will again take the World Cup opening stage in consecutive tournaments.
This World Cup is co-hosted by three countriesthe United States, Canada, and Mexicoand the opening ceremonies will also be split across three cities. On June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (LA), USA, Lisa will take the stage alongside Katy Perry, Future, and DJ Sanjoy ahead of the United States-Paraguay match.
The opening stage in Toronto, Canada, will feature Michael Buble, Alanis Morissette, and Alessia Cara. The opening stage at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City will feature the rock band Mana along with Alejandro Fernandez and Belinda.
According to the report, the opening performances in the United States and Canada are planned at 13 minutes each, and the Mexico stage at 16 minutes 30 seconds. Unlike Jungkook appearing in 2022 in a solo featured format, Lisa will appear in a multi-artist format alongside pop stars.
FIFA selecting a K-pop singer for the opening stage in two consecutive editions has been interpreted in the industry as a choice mindful of the influence of the Asian market. Lisa, from Buriram, Thailand, has the most Instagram followers among BLACKPINK members and a substantial fan base across Southeast Asia.
Lisa debuted with BLACKPINK in 2016 and has pursued solo activities in parallel. Her 2021 solo single ‘LALISA’ recorded approximately 730,000 copies sold in its first week. After concluding her solo contract with YG Entertainment in 2024, she established her own label LLOUD and last year entered the Billboard main chart with her first full-length solo album ‘Alter Ego’.
It remains unknown whether Lisa will participate in the World Cup official soundtrack or which song she will perform on stage. The final lineup is expected to be confirmed just before the June opening.
