World Cup 2023: What to expect on Day 1

World Cup 2023: What to expect on Day 1

Fireworks – on and the pitch.

It's an early start for soccer fans in the Northern hemisphere and RTÉ will be there to take you through every moment of the opening day of the 2023 World Cup.

The action starts at 7:25am on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player where Evanne Ní Chuilinn presents live coverage from Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand of the opening ceremony.

Organisers have promised the usual razzamatazz and while they’re keeping details of exactly who will be performing at the ceremony close to their chest, Kiwi popstar Benee and Australian singer Mallrat will be on hand to perform the official song of the tournament, Do It Again.

The song itself is an absolute belter, all fast-paced, lo-fi beats guaranteed to play over hundreds of match montages over the course of the tournament.

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Mercifully the ceremony looks like being short but sweet because 35 minutes after it starts, we have kick-off in the opening game of the tournament.

Live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 8am

New Zealand are hosts and will almost certainly be backed by the biggest female soccer crowd ever seen in the country but they have it all to do against one of the big dark horses for the tournament.

The Football Ferns have yet to win a World Cup game in five campaigns and are underdogs against a Norwegian side that scored 47 goals in ten qualifying games and conceded just two.

Norway, who have 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg back in the mix after an extended absence prompted by