FIFA World Cup has always been bigger than football. Every tournament comes with moments, emotions, chants, and songs that end up attached to memories fans carry for years.
For 2026, FIFA is betting on “Dai Dai,” a collaboration between global pop icon Shakira and Nigerian Afrofusion superstar Burna Boy, to become part of that history. This is a collaboration designed to reflect the international spirit of football.
The song, released on May 14 2026, arrives ahead of a historic tournament that will run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It will also be the first FIFA World Cup to feature 48 national teams instead of the traditional 32, making the competition larger and more global than ever before.
Rather than following one specific musical direction, “Dai Dai” blends Afrobeats, Latin pop, dance pop, and reggaetón into a sound built for stadiums, celebrations, and international audiences. The title itself comes from Italian and means “come on” or “let’s go,” while the chorus includes phrases in Japanese, Spanish, and French, giving the record a multilingual identity that mirrors the diversity of the World Cup.
How “Dai Dai” Blends Football, Motivation, and Global Culture
Instead of focusing only on football, the song leans into themes of resilience, ambition, determination, and national pride. Those ideas naturally connect with athletes and supporters during a World Cup tournament where emotions run high and every country hopes to make history.
Shakira opens the track with an uplifting message aimed at dreamers and competitors everywhere. She sings, “You knew from the day you were born / That here in this place you belong / You’ve been this brave all along / What broke you once, made you strong.”
Burna Boy follows with a motivational verse of his own, including the lines, “Go follow your desire / Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Throughout the song, both artists trade verses while paying tribute to football legends across generations. The lyrics mention iconic names including Diego Maradona, Paolo Maldini, Romário, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Kaká, and Lionel Messi.
The anthem also celebrates football loving nations such as Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, Korea, the United States, and the Netherlands, reinforcing the idea that the World Cup belongs to fans from every part of the world.
Why Burna Boy’s Presence on the FIFA World Cup Anthem Matters
Burna Boy’s role on “Dai Dai” represents more than just a major collaboration. It reflects how far Afrobeats has grown on the global stage over the last decade.
The Nigerian artist has spent years pushing African music into mainstream international spaces through sold out concerts, global chart success, and major award wins. In 2021, he became the first solo Nigerian artist to win a Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album. In 2023, he became the first African artist to sell out a United States stadium when he filled Citi Field in New York.
Last year, he also became the first African artist to headline a solo concert at Stade de France in Paris, further proving the worldwide demand for Afrobeats and African music culture.
FIFA choosing Burna Boy for the official World Cup anthem highlights how Afrobeats has become part of mainstream global entertainment, and Burna Boy remains one of the artists leading that movement internationally.
FIFA World Cup reaches billions of viewers around the world, “Dai Dai” gives Afrobeats another major platform at one of the biggest cultural events on the planet.
Shakira’s Long History With FIFA World Cup Songs
For Shakira, “Dai Dai” continues a relationship with the World Cup that began more than a decade ago.
In 2010, she released “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” featuring South African group Freshlyground for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. That song became one of the most recognizable football anthems ever created and remained popular long after the tournament ended.
“Waka Waka” captured the atmosphere of the first World Cup hosted in Africa and eventually became deeply connected to football culture worldwide. Even years later, many fans still associate the song with the excitement and celebration of the 2010 tournament.
Shakira later returned for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with “La La La (Brazil 2014)” alongside Carlinhos Brown. With “Dai Dai,” she now adds a third official World Cup anthem to her career, strengthening her connection to FIFA’s musical history.
That history also creates expectations. Comparisons between “Dai Dai” and “Waka Waka” are inevitable because many fans still consider the 2010 anthem the standard for modern World Cup songs.
FIFA’s Bigger Entertainment Plans for the 2026 World Cup
The release of “Dai Dai” is only one part of FIFA’s larger entertainment strategy for the 2026 tournament.
Shakira is also expected to co headline the FIFA World Cup final halftime show on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey alongside Madonna and BTS. The performance will mark the first halftime show in FIFA World Cup final history, inspired by the entertainment format used during the Super Bowl.
The event is being curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise money for children’s education and football programs around the world.
Shakira has also announced that proceeds connected to “Dai Dai” will support the initiative, adding a charitable element to the anthem’s release.
At the same time, FIFA is preparing a larger official tournament album featuring artists connected to the three host nations. Some tracks from the project have already been released, but “Dai Dai” remains the centerpiece song FIFA is positioning as the defining soundtrack of the competition.
What “Dai Dai” Means for Afrobeats and Global Music
The collaboration between Shakira and Burna Boy reflects how global music continues to evolve beyond language and regional boundaries.
By combining Latin pop with Afrobeats influences, FIFA is intentionally connecting two regions with enormous football audiences and passionate fan cultures. The partnership also mirrors the direction modern pop music has taken, where artists increasingly blend sounds, languages, and cultural influences into one record.
For African music especially, Burna Boy’s involvement carries significance. Having an African artist on the official FIFA World Cup anthem exposes Afrobeats to millions of listeners who may be hearing the genre for the first time.
It also reinforces the growing influence African artists now have within global entertainment. “Dai Dai” is a good one because it keeps its message simple and universal. The song focuses on belief, ambition, perseverance, and unity while using multilingual lyrics and energetic production to create something accessible to audiences across different countries and cultures.
