The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off in Mexico last night – and from the opening ceremony, K-pop was already part of the story.

The opening ceremony featured EJAE – the singing voice of Rumi in KPop Demon Hunters and the songwriter behind hits from TWICE, aespa, NMIXX and many more – performing the competition's official anthem, "DNA (More Than a Game)," alongside Andrea Bocelli, David Guetta and Megan Thee Stallion. The song includes Korean lyrics written by EJAE, placing K-pop at the centre of the competition's opening statement.

However, with more songs being released and further ceremonies being announced, the connection goes much further. On 13 June 2026, BLACKPINK’s Lisa is set to headline a show alongside Katy Perry, Anitta, Future, Tyla and others at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, in celebration of the first game for the U.S. team. She is part of an official anthem for the competition, titled “Goals” and in collaboration with Anitta and Rema. The three will perform it live during the show.

Other anthems also see the inclusion of TWICE’s Jihyo, who has been featured in a collaboration between herself, French Montana, Ludmilla, Adriana C and RedOne, the Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter-producer who led the song’s creation. In the anthem, titled “Follow Me,” Jihyo receives her own verse and can be heard singing various backing vocals throughout.

Additionally, while EJAE and Lisa are part of the World Cup’s opening ceremonies, BTS will take part in a closing ceremony. FIFA has confirmed that the final game of the competition will include a halftime show for the first time, in the style of the U.S. Super Bowl. The show, taking place 19 July at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, has been put together by Coldplay’s Chris Martin to raise money for the Fifa Global Citizen Education Fund, and will be co-headlined by Madonna, Shakira, and BTS.

BTS’ appearance in particular showcases the growth of K-pop internationally within the past four years. In 2022, BTS’ Jungkook was featured on an anthem for the last World Cup. He performed the song, “Dreamers,” with Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi during the opening ceremony in Qatar – and this was the only involvement of K-pop in the competition. At the time, Jungkook made history as the first Korean artist to be part of a World Cup anthem. This year, not only are the entire group featured after having completed their mandatory military service, but EJAE, Lisa, and Jihyo join them at various points of the competition.

To see this many Korean artists featured on a world stage – and during a non-music event, one founded on the coming together of nations – highlights how significant K-pop has become, placing Korean acts alongside some of the biggest names in global music at the opening and closing ceremonies as an integral part of the event, not an addition to it. BTS' performance in July is still to come.