UEFA EURO 2020 to kick off with virtual performance of We Are The People

Martin Garrix, Bono and The Edge will take centre stage at the UEFA EURO 2020 opening match in the Olimpico in Rome with a virtual performance that will use cutting-edge technology to bring fans closer to the competition’s curtain-raiser on 11 June.

The Olimpico is hosting the first match of the tournament ©Getty Images

The collaboration of the U2 rock legends and one of the world’s biggest DJs/producers on the Official Song of UEFA EURO 2020 has extended to a digital recreation of the Olimpico which will see the three artists come together as never before for a celebratory performance of We Are The People. The song will be played as part of the opening ceremony moments before kick-off of the tournament’s first match between Italy and Turkey.

“The sense of anticipation for UEFA EURO 2020 has really intensified as participating national teams announce their squads and our host venues finalise preparations,” said UEFA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein.

“The opening ceremony in the Olimpico in Rome will be a fitting preamble to the tournament, and I am pleased that the collaboration between three great artists, Martin Garrix, Bono and The Edge, has also produced a virtual performance that will enable fans across Europe and the world to feel closer to the tournament. We Are The People encapsulates the celebration of togetherness and festivity at the heart of UEFA EURO 2020, and I am sure fans will be thrilled by the virtual performance whether they are watching at home or online.”

The performance, themed around a real-life live stadium gig, will weave the song’s lyrics of hope and positivity, together with powerful imagery brought to life by technology, including the pitch being transformed into a blue-white flame, energy fields created from millions of light particles and Bono projected on to the stage delivering a powerful yet intimate vocal performance that will resonate with the millions watching from home.

It was filmed in state-of-the-art motion-control studios in London, and at the Olimpico in Rome, to recreate the stadium environment in 3D.

Football fans can get tournament ready with the official UEFA EURO 2020 playlist, curated by Garrix and featuring song selections by top players. The official playlist is available on all major music streaming platforms.