MUNICH, June 8 (Xinhua) -- German President Horst Kohler will declare the 18th World Cup open at the Munich World Cup stadium at an half-hour opening ceremony.

    The highlights of the opening ceremony will be the parade of the 158 former World Cup winners. For the first time in the 100-year plus history of FIFA, all the world champions still alive have been invited to actively participate in a World Cup opening ceremony.

    The first winning squad will be the 1966 winning squad of England, followed by 1998 World Cup winners France, 1930 and 1950 World Cup players from Uruguay. And then Argentina (1978, 1986), Italy (1934, 1938 and 1982), Germany (1954, 1974 and 1990) and Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002).

    The opening ceremony starts on 16:23 local time and ends at 17:55. Enditem