FIFA World Cup 2022 opening ceremony: Details of star performers, where to watch it LIVE

A drone display and fireworks are seen over the skyline ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Doha, Qatar, Saturday.

First World Cup in the Middle East. First World Cup kicking off in November. First modern edition based around a single city. First in an Arab country.

Now add “first World Cup with an Olympics-style opening ceremony” to the list of novelties for the tournament in Qatar beginning on Sunday. Among the confirmed performers at the ceremony is K-pop star Jungkook.

Creative director Marco Balich, a veteran of multiple Olympic opening and closing ceremonies, told The Associated Press that he has been working for a year on a 30-minute show that will run ahead of the opening game between Qatar and Ecuador.

“The supreme committee wanted to create a real show, which FIFA is not accustomed to,” Balich said in a phone interview from Doha, referring to Qatar’s local organizing committee.

The extravagant ceremony was one of the reasons why in August the World Cup start was moved up a day in a late switch — to give the show a more prominent viewing slot.

“FIFA and the supreme committee — especially FIFA — realised how much effort was going into creating the ceremony and creating for the first time something that’s not just someone singing before the opening game,” Balich said.

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While the FIFA World Cup 2022 opening ceremony budget doesn’t come near that of an Olympic opener — mostly because of the difference in length, with Olympic ceremonies usually lasting hours with the parade of athletes and all sorts of protocols — Balich said Qatar "wasn't afraid to invest in artistic quality.

“We have a team of 900 people with best-in-the-world choreographers and lighting technicians,” Balich added. “I think it’s going to be a big step forward in terms of World Cup history, and the next edition in the United States, Mexico and Canada will inherit the challenge to create this big show which enriches the experience and identity of the entire tournament.”

While Balich is still restricted from revealing details of the show’s content, he did say that “famous actors and artists” will be involved, including K-pop star Jungkook.

The ceremony and opening game are slated for the tent-shaped Al Bayt Stadium, which has a capacity of 60,000.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 opening ceremony will start at 5.40 pm local time (8.10 pm IST) and end 30 minutes later. Then the Qatar and Ecuador teams will come out for pre-match warmups and the opening game will kick off at 9.30 pm IST. It will be telecast live on Sports18 and Sports18 HD TV channels in India.

(With inputs from AP)