Photos: Opening ceremony of World Cup 2014 in Brazil - in pictures

All the glitz and the glamour – and some rather odd-looking walking vegetation – at the opening ceremony of World Cup 2014 in São Paulo, Brazil

The opening ceremony begins in the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo. Photograph: Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images

A group of dancers symbolise raindrops from the Amazon rainforest. Photograph: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images

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Fans enjoying the show. Photograph: Andre Penner/AP

 

US singer Jennifer Lopez, Brazilian star Claudia Leitte and rapper Pitbull add glitz. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

 

A girl peeps through giant pink petals. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

 

The first part is themed around the Amazon, so of course it includes a boat. Photograph: Andre Penner/AP

 

Acrobatic stunts by people dressed as footballs. Photograph: Ivan Alvardo/Reuters

 

A two-person accordian. Photograph: Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images

                        A strange woman-maraca hybrid does … um, we're not entirely sure what. Photograph: Kevin Cox/Getty Image

A tableau of the Amazon rainforest with what seems to be a snow-dome paperweight in the middle. Photograph: Kevin Cox/Getty Images