The stadium was already shaking well before kickoff as Fatehi took centre stage, officially launching Canada’s portion of the tournament with an explosive performance that doubled as a deeply personal homecoming.

Fatehi, born and raised in Toronto to a Moroccan family, debuted her official FIFA anthem Siir Siir, a high-energy track created alongside collaborators Vegedream and Sanjoy.

The song weaves together Moroccan Darija, Arabic, French, and English into a single rhythmic blend, mirroring Fatehi’s own multicultural identity.

The anthem’s title is drawn from a well-known Moroccan football chant that translates simply as “go, go.”

Fatehi said she chose the hook with a universal purpose, hoping it would become a rallying cry that unites fans across the globe regardless of which team they are supporting this summer.

The track’s music video was filmed entirely on location in Morocco, its visuals centred on neighbourhood kids playing street soccer.

The concept was deliberate, capturing how football travels from dusty local alleyways to the world’s grandest arenas and how the game’s spirit is born not in stadiums but on the street.

A full-circle moment

To understand why Friday’s performance carried such weight, one has to look at Fatehi’s journey.

She grew up in Toronto absorbing the city’s multicultural energy before making the bold decision at just 22 to leave home and try her luck in India’s fiercely competitive entertainment industry.

Against considerable odds, she conquered Bollywood, becoming one of its most recognisable faces and a definitive dance superstar with a global following.

She is no stranger to major sporting stages, having performed at the Qatar 2022 World Cup closing ceremony.

But stepping out in front of the community that raised her, as a headline act on one of sport’s biggest platforms, made Friday night something different altogether.

A star-studded tournament soundtrack

Fatehi’s performance adds her name to an impressive roster of global artists powering the cultural side of this expanded World Cup.

FIFA has curated an 18-song official soundtrack featuring some of the biggest names in the international music industry.

The musical programme had already set a high bar 24 hours earlier at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Colombian superstar Shakira headlined a star-studded ceremony alongside Afrobeats heavyweight Burna Boy, reggaeton star J Balvin, and South African vocalist Tyla, all ahead of Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa.

Shakira and Burna Boy performed their collaborative track Dai Dai at the event.

With the opening ceremonies complete and the anthems delivered, the focus now shifts firmly to the football.