This year’s opening ceremony ahead of the finals in Russia will be held on Thursday June 14 at 2pm BST (9am EST), approximately two hours before the opening match of the tournament between Russia and Saudi Arabia.
The ceremony will take place at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow – the national stadium of Russia – which is also where the final of the tournament will be held. It is the largest stadium in Russia with a seating capacity of 80,000 and has hosted a myriad of global events.
It was the venue of a recent friendly game between home nation Russia and Brazil, where the South American team won 3-0 The stadium is also home to the Russian national team.
The likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael Jackson, Madonna and Metallica have all performed at the Luzhniki Stadium. The stadium was also the venue for the 2008 Champions League final, where Manchester United beat Chelsea in a penalty shootout.
Headlining the ceremony will be Will Smith and Nicky Jam performing the official song of the tournament, “Live It Up”. Additionally, as with most global sporting events, the ceremony will also feature dances and performers paying tribute to all aspects of Russian culture and tradition.
In addition to the ceremony taking place at the Luzhniki Stadium, there will be another concert occurring at the Red Square in Moscow where stars such as Placido Dominguez and Juan Diego Flores will perform.
Source: All football
