Shakira performing at the 2026 Fifa World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico City.
Image: X
There was plenty to take in at the 2026 Fifa World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico City, but the internet had other priorities entirely.
While the football world was meant to be focused on the launch of the tournament, Shakira's performance quickly turned into a full-blown online debate about whether it was actually her on stage.
The Colombian superstar headlined the ceremony at Mexico City's iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday, performing the tournament's official song, "Dai Dai", before thousands of fans packed into the historic stadium and millions more watching around the world.
Dressed in a neon yellow bodysuit paired with a white mini skirt, she delivered a high-energy set alongside Nigerian artist Burna Boy and a large group of dancers who filled the stadium with movement, colour and pyrotechnic spectacle.
But instead of focusing on the choreography, vocals or the significance of the opening ceremony itself, social media shifted into detective mode.
Within minutes, users began questioning whether the performer was really Shakira at all, with screenshots and clips from the broadcast spreading rapidly across X.
Some viewers claimed she looked taller than usual. Others zoomed in on facial features and mannerisms, convinced that something looked different from the Shakira they were used to seeing.
Because apparently nothing says "celebrating the start of the world's biggest football tournament" quite like launching an impromptu facial-recognition investigation.
One fan, however, was quick to shut down the conspiracy theories and insisted that it was indeed the "Hips Don't Lie" singer taking to the stage.
One fan set the record straight and wrote: "Si es @shakira Para las personas que la hemos seguido siempre Sabemos que tiene esa cicatriz en su frente, la forma de sus dientes, sus uñas, etc. ¿se ve alta? Pues trae tenis con plataformas. Dejen de ver cosas donde no las hay!"
Translated: "Yes, it's @shakira. For the people who have always followed her, we know she has that scar on her forehead, the shape of her teeth, her nails, etc. Does she look tall? Well, she's wearing platform sneakers. Stop seeing things where they aren't!"
Whether viewers were convinced or not, the online speculation ultimately overshadowed what was meant to be one of the ceremony's standout moments.
For many fans, it was simply another reminder that in the age of social media, even a global superstar performing on one of football's biggest stages can become the subject of an unexpected internet mystery.