The FIFA World Cup 2022 will get underway in Qatar on Sunday (November 20) and a grand opening ceremony like always was expected to kick off the biggest sporting event on the planet. One of the most memorable opening ceremony was back in 2010 in South Africa when Colombian pop star Shakira set the stage alight with her song ‘Waka, Waka’.


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However, the criticism that has been directed at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar has resulted in some of the top artists rejecting the chance to be at the opening ceremony. Two of the biggest attaractions, Dua Lipa and Rod Stewart, have already turned down the opportunity to perform on Sunday.


Shakira has her own personal issues to deal with and her presence at the World Cup in Qatar was criticized on social media. According to ‘El programa de Ana Rosa’, Shakira will not perform at the ceremony after changing her mind a few days before the start of the World Cup.


“It’s been confirmed to me that Shakira will not perform at the opening ceremony, but they won’t say if she will have another role throughout the World Cup,” Adriana Dorronsoro was quoted as saying by Spanish newspaper Marca.



Sandra Aladro, another contributor to the Telecinco program, said that she has spoken to the artist's entourage. “They have confirmed that she won’t be performing,” Aladro said. “She was going to be a guest performer, now she will have to send a statement to explain everything.”


World Cup 2022 prize money disparity is an obstacle to Equal Pay


FIFA World Cup 2022 prize money continues to be a sticking point for equality in soccer, despite the historic equal pay agreement between US Soccer and their men’s and women’s teams. Earlier this year, the US National teams decided to split prize money, which means that the haul from playing in the sport’s most prestigious tournaments will be distributed equally between players for both teams – after the federation takes a cut off the top.


It was a landmark agreement, hailed as an important step for equality even beyond sports. But other nations haven’t followed suit.


At the heart of the matter is the huge disparity in prize money between the men’s and women’s tournaments – and how it is eventually passed on by federations to their players. FIFA has earmarked $440 million in prize money for this year’s men’s World Cup. The winner in Qatar will take home $42 million.


The US Women won $4 million from a $30 million pot at the 2019 Women's World Cup. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proposed doubling the prize money for the 2023 event, but the field has expanded from 24 to 32 teams.


(with agency inputs)