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

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

IMAGO/Mike Egerton

Former World Cup mascots pictured performing at the Qatar 2022 opening ceremony

IMAGO/PA Images/Adam Davy