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Colombian pop star Shakira has just made history and cemented herself as a living legend. The singer performed a free show in Mexico City’s Zócalo for 400,000 people, setting the record for the largest audience ever assembled in the country’s main public square.
Shakira had already performed 13 sold-out stadium shows in Mexico City over the last year as part of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, which was attended by 780,000 fans. On top of this, she played 17 shows in 10 additional cities around Mexico. As such, the free show was regarded as the singer’s way of thanking her Mexican audience, who have supported her throughout her 35-year career. She didn’t skimp on the production, either. The concert took place with the same screens and Yellow Studio-designed set as her paid shows.
“Tonight, I feel a mix of excitement, nostalgia, and gratitude. Today is our last day here in Mexico, my home,” Shakira said during the show. “This is a love and friendship story I have with Mexico that can’t be compared to anything. Thank you for all the excitement, all the joy you’ve made me feel. There’s definitely no better reunion than that of a little she-wolf with her Mexican pack here today at the Zócalo. Forever, we are one.”
Shakira played her first shows in Mexico in 1996, which served as a stepping stone to the international stardom she reached with her English crossovers in the early 2000s. Despite reaching a global audience, Shakira remained close to her Latin American audience throughout the years. She first performed a free show at Zócalo in 2007, drawing more than 210,000 fans.
With her 2026 Zócalo show, Shakira reclaimed the record for the largest audience, previously held by Argentine ska band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, who gathered 300,000 people in 2023. So many people wanted to see Shakira live that fans spilled onto the nearby streets. To ensure everyone could see the show, the government set up screens at nearby landmarks, Alameda Central Park and the Monument to the Revolution—over a mile away from the Zócalo.
The singer later commemorated the show on Instagram, posting some images of the show along with the message, “Thanks to my big Mexican family for making this dream come true. I love you Mexico!!”
Now, Shakira aims to repeat the feat on May 2, 2026, with a free show at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where over 1 million people are expected. With this, she follows in the steps of Madonna and Lady Gaga, who played this iconic site in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
To stay up to date with the singer, follow Shakira on Instagram.
Colombian pop star Shakira just made history after performing a free show in Mexico City’s Zócalo for 400,000 people.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
With this, she set the record for the largest audience ever assembled in the country’s main public square.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
“This is a love and friendship story I have with Mexico that can’t be compared to anything. Thank you for all the excitement, all the joy you’ve made me feel,” the singer said.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
So many people wanted to see Shakira live that fans spilled onto the nearby streets.
El #Zocalo y sus calles aledañas llenas para ver a #ShakiraEnElZócalo. pic.twitter.com/I42AMPadQb
— César Cravioto (@craviotocesar) March 2, 2026
Watch her perform her Spanish-language hit “Antología” at the Zócalo in the clip below:
Source: Shakira Breaks Record at Mexico’s Zócalo with 400,000 Attendees: ‘A Love Story That Can’t Be Compared to Anything’
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