The 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony may have launched football's biggest tournament in style, but online attention quickly shifted from the performances to a wave of conspiracy theories involving a supposed 'Shakira double' and alleged hidden 'Illuminati' symbols.
Within hours of the ceremony at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca on 11 June, social media users began sharing claims that the performer on stage was not actually Shakira, while others circulated videos alleging the event contained secret occult or coded imagery.
