The countdown to the 2026 World Cup is on! Each day ahead of the tournament’s return to North America, Yahoo Sports will highlight an insight or moment that showcases just how grand the world’s biggest sporting spectacle has become — even beyond the expanded field of this year’s global event.
The Opening Ceremony of the 1994 World Cup was a spectacle, of course. The United States was hosting the tournament for the first time, which meant a star-studded party to kick off the month-long celebration of the sport.
Emceed by talk show host Oprah Winfrey, the event featured a speech by President Bill Clinton and musical performances by Darryl Hall of Hall & Oates and Jon Secada. The big draw was Diana Ross performing “I’m Coming Out” as dancers, confetti and balloons all enveloped the field.
As Ross sang, she made her way across the field to take a penalty kick on a more-than-ready goalkeeper. After a few stutter-steps, Ross sent her shot very left, even with the goalie guessing correctly. The ball rolled wide, but the net broke apart as it was supposed to for the stunt.
#OnThisDay Diana Ross began the 1994 World Cup in the US with one of the worst penalties ever taken. pic.twitter.com/1KrlxsdhK6
— The Antique Football (@AntiqueFootball) June 17, 2015
“I’m not sure that was supposed to happened,” uttered British broadcaster John Helm.
The missed penalty kick was a sign of things to come. The tournament opened with Ross’ miss and ended with Italy’s Roberto Baggio sailing one over the crossbar to crown Brazil as champions.
This moment wasn’t even the most memorable one in sports that happened on June 17, 1994. There was also Arnold Palmer’s final U.S. Open round, the New York Rangers’ Stanley Cup parade, and, of course, the O.J. Simpson police chase.