Katy Perry opens 2026 World Cup ceremony in silver Stella McCartney gown at SoFi Stadium

• Katy Perry performed 'Wonder' at the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony on Friday
• She wore a floor-length silver Stella McCartney FW26 Ready-to-Wear gown
• Ten-year-old Norwegian boy Tius flew to Los Angeles to perform alongside Perry

Katy Perry delivered a glittering opening performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup ceremony at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday night, dressed in a floor-length silver Stella McCartney FW26 Ready-to-Wear gown. The dress featured an exaggerated waistline and appeared to be constructed from long strands of tinsel — widely interpreted as a nod to Tinseltown, the traditional nickname for Los Angeles, the host city of this year's competition.

Perry's 'Wonder' performance

Perry performed "Wonder," a track from her 2024 sixth studio album 143, to open the star-studded ceremony, which also featured performances by Tyla, Anitta and more. The US opening is one of three ceremonies staged by the three host nations, with Shakira headlining in Mexico City on Thursday and Alanis Morrisette, Michael Bublé and others performing in Canada on Friday afternoon.

Meet Tius: the 10-year-old from Norway

Perry did not take the stage alone. The day before the ceremony, she shared a TikTok video introducing audiences to Tius, a 10-year-old boy from Norway who joined her for the performance. "That little voice you're listening to right now is Tius," she wrote alongside the clip, as the child's voice could be heard singing. In the post, Perry explained the origin of their collaboration: "Tius recorded his part on 'Wonder' when he was 5 years old in 2021. I heard his vocal in 2023 and was inspired to write the verses for 'Wonder' and added it to my sixth album." She added: "Tius is 10 now and flew all the way to LA from Norway to sing this song with me on Friday at the World Cup."

Perry's toned-down style — and her Canadian connection

Though Perry performed on behalf of the United States, she also carries a notable connection to one of the tournament's other host nations. She went public with her relationship with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in December, and the pair have been together for nearly a year. Since making their relationship official, Perry's wardrobe had taken a more subdued turn — particularly at public political events — but Friday's World Cup stage marked a full return to her signature pop star aesthetic.

The couple made their red carpet debut earlier this week, when Trudeau accompanied Perry to the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of her concert film. The pair showed considerable PDA throughout the screening of Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour – Live From Paris, hugging openly for the cameras. Which team the California native will be cheering for throughout the tournament, however, remains to be seen.