World Cup 2022: Morgan Freeman and Jung Kook star in glitzy opening ceremony

Jung Kook, a subordinate of South Korean lad set BTS, performed during the ceremony

Camels, fireworks and Morgan Freeman.

American histrion Freeman featured successful the festivities alongside Qatari YouTuber Ghanim Al-Muftah.

South Korean popular prima Jung Kook sang Dreamers, the tourney song, alongside Qatari vocalist Fahad Al Kubaisi astatine the stadium successful Al Khor.

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With conscionable nether 90 minutes remaining until the opening lucifer of the tournament, the ceremonial kicked disconnected with Oscar-winning histrion Freeman narrating a video astir football's quality to unite.

The build-up to the archetypal World Cup to beryllium held successful a Muslim state successful the Middle East has been overshadowed by a fig of controversies, including deaths of migrant workers and attraction of LGBT radical successful Qatar.

Morgan Freeman and Ghanim Al-Muftah took portion successful the ceremony

Qatari vocalist Dana al-Fardan performed aboriginal successful the ceremony

During the archetypal creation routine, Freeman was greeted by cheers arsenic helium appeared successful the stadium alongside Al Muftah, who was calved with the uncommon Caudal Regression Syndrome.

"Everyone is welcome," Freeman told the crowd.

One of the creation routines featured elephantine walking kits of the 32 teams competing successful the tourney and the mascots of erstwhile World Cups alongside La'eeb, the 2022 mascot.

Jung Kook and Fahad Al Kubaisi performed unneurotic earlier Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani delivered the opening code successful Arabic.

"People of antithetic races, nationalities, creeds and orientations volition stitchery present successful Qatar and astir screens connected each continents to stock the aforesaid breathtaking moments," the emir told the crowd.

Jung Kook and Fahad Al Kubaisi performed Dreamers alongside a striking airy show

The airy amusement caught the oculus during the opening ceremony

Saudi Arabia's crown prince and the presidents of Egypt, Turkey and Algeria, arsenic good arsenic the United Nations caput general, were among satellite leaders successful the tent-shaped stadium up of the opening match.

The 30-minute ceremonial ended with a fireworks show and different creation regular earlier the Qatar and Ecuador teams took to the transportation to commencement their warm-ups.

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'This opening ceremonial seemed antithetic and important' - analysis

Alex Capstick, BBC Sport astatine Al-Bayt Stadium

After each the challenges, allegations and doubts this was Qatar's accidental to invited the satellite and contiguous its lawsuit to a planetary assemblage of billions.

Despite its determination plonked successful the mediate of a barren godforsaken wasteland acold distant from anywhere, the Al-Bayt stadium does supply a jaw-dropping mounting for the opening of the astir arguable World Cup successful history. It's casual to spot wherefore it was chosen, designed successful the signifier and colours of a colossal Bedouin tent, location for nomads crossed the region. It is an architectural gem.

Inside is conscionable arsenic eye-catching. A oversea of maroon achromatic with a ample dash of yellowish down 1 of the goals wherever the Ecuador fans had gathered.

Opening ceremonies tin look an unnecessary distraction earlier the main lawsuit but this seemed antithetic and important. After each that has gone before, the Qataris could not spend to gaffe up.

Dancers execute during the ceremony

Persuading Morgan Freeman to narrate the amusement unrecorded successful the stadium felt similar a existent coup. The premix of accepted and modern elements was seamless, featuring mascots and songs from erstwhile World Cups a bully touch.

An quality from South Korea's K-pop megastar Jung Kook brought the youngsters to their feet but the biggest cheer was for the emir of Qatar erstwhile helium arrived and waved to the crowd.

The country's ruler welcomed radical of each beliefs but determination was nary acknowledgment of the controversies that person dominated the build-up.

The Qataris we spoke to were besides reluctant to prosecute successful much antagonistic topics, but they were some arrogant and excited. For the organisers, possibly a little suspiration of relief.

Pyrotechnics situation a elephantine mentation of the World Cup trophy

One of the creation routines featured 3 camels

The ceremonial astatine Al-Bayt Stadium featured a fireworks display

Mascots of past World Cups took portion successful the opening ceremony

La'eeb, the tourney mascot, floated supra the transportation during the ceremony

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