UK: Royal Opera Chorus marks 2026 World Cup start with London performance

The UK welcomed the opening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a public performance in London on 11 June, linking one of football’s most famous musical anthems to the start of the tournament in Mexico. Outside Covent Garden, South Korean tenor SeokJong Baek joined the Royal Opera Chorus for an open-air rendition of Puccini’s ‘Nessun Dorma’. The event took place on Davies Terrace and drew passers-by and opera lovers to the heart of the British capital as the world’s largest World Cup got under way. The performance highlighted the enduring connection between football and classical music. ‘Nessun Dorma’, from Puccini’s opera Turandot, became closely associated with major football tournaments during the 1990 World Cup and remains one of the sport’s most recognisable pieces of music. Baek, known internationally for performing the role of Calaf, sang alongside the chorus of the Royal Opera House. The event formed part of a wider celebration surrounding the opening of the expanded 48-team tournament, which began in Mexico City on 11 June.