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Morgan Freeman Performs At World Cup Opening Ceremony In Qatar

Morgan Freeman was a surprise performer at the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar on Sunday.

Robert Summerscales

Morgan Freeman Performs At World Cup Opening Ceremony In Qatar
Morgan Freeman Performs At World Cup Opening Ceremony In Qatar /

The 2022 FIFA World Cup officially kicked off on Sunday with the opening ceremony at Al Bayt Stadium.

Sunday's show was headlined in front of 60,000 fans by Jung Kook of K-Pop super group BTS.

One of the non-musical performers was American actor Morgan Freeman.

The 85-year-old narrated the event live and delivered a speech about the "emotions that connect us all now".

He also said: "We gather here as one big tribe and Earth is the tent we all live in."

Morgan Freeman pictured speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Morgan Freeman pictured speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup :: IMAGO/PA Images/Adam Davy

The opening ceremony began 90 minutes before the tournament's first game, between hosts Qatar and Ecuador.

Most of the fans in attendance were Qatari locals but one corner of the stadium was filled by a noisy group of Ecuador supporters.

Among the famous faces in the crowd was former England captain David Beckham, who has been working as an ambassador for Qatar 2022.

But the ceremony was not all about celebrity and glamor. It also featured a reading from the Quran.

One of the most colorful elements of the show was an appearance by all former World Cup mascots, including South Africa's Zakumi and Footix from France 1998.

A group of Ecuador fans pictured at Al Bayt Stadium ahead of the first game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
A group of Ecuador fans pictured at Al Bayt Stadium :: IMAGO/Mike Egerton
Former World Cup mascots pictured performing at the Qatar 2022 opening ceremony
Former World Cup mascots pictured performing at the Qatar 2022 opening ceremony :: IMAGO/PA Images/Adam Davy
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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.

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