FIFA World Cup 2026 - Official Song
The official FIFA World Cup 2026 song “Dai Dai” is performed by Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian Afrofusion artist Burna Boy. “Dai Dai” was officially released on May 15, 2026, through Ace Entertainment and Sony Music Latin. “Dai Dai” is an Italian phrase meaning “Come on, come on” or “Go, go”. The song’s multilingual chorus also includes the same phrase in Japanese, Spanish, French, and English. It was written and produced by Shakira, Burna Boy, Benny Adam, Jon Bellion, Ed Sheeran, and Alexander Castillo. Some football legends are mentioned in “Dai Dai”, the song name-drops Maradona, Maldini, Romário, Cristiano Ronaldo, Beckham, Kaká, and Messi, as well as several participating nations including Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, the United States, and Netherlands.
Shakira has a long history with the World Cup. She previously recorded “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” for the 2010 tournament, performed “Hips Don’t Lie” at the 2006 closing ceremony, and delivered “La La La (Brazil 2014)” at the 2014 closing ceremony. “Dai Dai” is her fourth official World Cup moment. Shakira is set to headline the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium alongside Madonna and BTS. Shakira’s royalties from “Dai Dai” go directly to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is aiming to raise $100 million by the end of the tournament for children’s education worldwide. Sony Music is matching the first $250,000 raised. FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament starts on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and the final takes place on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Shakira – the Colombian pop icon, gave the world the unforgettable “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” back in 2010. This time, she’s teamed up with Nigerian Afrofusion superstar Burna Boy to deliver “Dai Dai”, the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Released on May 15, 2026, through Ace Entertainment and Sony Music Latin, the track has already set social media on fire and is being hailed as one of the most globally ambitious World Cup anthems ever made.
What Does “Dai Dai” Mean?
“Dai Dai” is an Italian expression meaning “Come on, come on” or “Go, go”. It’s the kind of phrase you’d hear screaming from the bleachers at an Italian stadium when the pressure is at its peak. But the song takes that energy and multiplies it across cultures and continents. The multilingual chorus – “Dai dai, Ikó, dale, allez, let’s go!” – is a masterstroke of global storytelling. Those words translate the same fire across Italian, Japanese, Spanish, French, and English. Every fan, from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, gets their moment in the chorus. That’s not just clever songwriting – that’s a cultural statement.
At just under four minutes, “Dai Dai” wastes no time making an impression. The production – handled by Shakira herself along with Benny Adam, Jon Bellion, Ed Sheeran, and Alexander Castillo – is a carefully layered blend of Afrobeats, dance-pop, reggaetón, and world beats. It sits in that sweet mid-tempo BPM range that works equally well blasting through stadium speakers and through your earbuds on the morning commute. Shakira opens the track with raw emotional power: “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”. It’s the kind of lyric that gives you chills, the kind that reminds every athlete – and honestly every human – why they keep going.
Burna Boy jumps in with his signature warmth: “Go follow your desire / Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. It’s simple, direct, and deeply motivational. Then both artists shout out legends of the beautiful game including Maradona, Maldini, Romário, Cristiano Ronaldo, Beckham, Kaká, and Messi, along with participating nations like Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, the United States, and Netherlands. It’s a hall-of-fame tribute wrapped inside a pop anthem, and it works perfectly.
Shakira’s World Cup Legacy
No artist on the planet has a World Cup music legacy quite like Shakira. “Dai Dai” is technically her fourth official World Cup moment. She first stunned the globe with “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which later earned the Guinness World Record for the most-streamed FIFA World Cup song on Spotify, crossing over a billion streams. She also performed a special version of “Hips Don’t Lie” at the 2006 World Cup closing ceremony and delivered “La La La (Brazil 2014)” at the 2014 closing ceremony in Rio.
Music experts have noted what makes Shakira uniquely suited for this role. As Brent Keogh, a lecturer in music and sound design at the University of Technology Sydney, explained to NPR: she has a rare ability to pull from different cultures and bring them into a global pop package without it feeling forced. With “Dai Dai”, she’s done exactly that – and then some.
Pairing Shakira with Burna Boy was a borderline, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature the largest contingent of African teams in the tournament’s history, with 10 nations competing. Having Nigeria’s “African Giant” on the official song isn’t just symbolic – it’s deeply meaningful. Burna Boy’s Afrofusion sound has dominated global pop charts since 2020, and his collaboration with Shakira represents the natural evolution of where world music is heading.
Shakira brings the Latin pop hook structure and her signature rhythmic energy. Burna Boy brings the Afrobeats production – that characteristic syncopation and laid-back vocal delivery that feels like a warm wave washing over you. Together, they’ve created something that doesn’t sound like either artist alone. It sounds like the world. What makes “Dai Dai” stand out beyond the music is the cause it carries.
Shakira’s royalties from the song are being donated to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million by the end of the tournament to provide children around the world – particularly in underserved communities – with access to quality education and football opportunities. Sony Music has committed to matching the first $250,000 raised, adding serious corporate muscle behind the mission. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show will also support the same Education Fund. This isn’t just a feel-good anthem. It’s a song actively working to change lives.
The World Cup Final Halftime Show – Shakira, Madonna & BTS
Shakira will also headline the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. She’ll be joined by none other than Madonna and K-pop sensation BTS. The show is being curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and will also feature characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets. Fans are fully expecting “Dai Dai” to be the closing number of that performance.
The 2026 World Cup – Dates, Venues & What’s at Stake
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City – one of football’s most iconic venues – and concludes on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It’s the first-ever World Cup hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and with 48 teams competing for the very first time, this tournament is already being called the biggest sporting event in human history. “Dai Dai” will soundtrack all of it.
“Dai Dai” is available now on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube.
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcnDmrtj6Sk ]
***
– The official FIFA World Cup 2026 anthem is “DNA” by Andrea Bocelli, David Guetta, Megan Thee Stallion & EJAE (released June 10, 2026).
– While “Dai Dai” by Shakira & Burna Boy is the official song and lead single of the album.
Credits: May 24, 2026, Tanuja A2Z SoundtrackA2Z Soundtrack is an independent music journalism site covering film, television, anime, K-drama, and video game soundtracks. Founded in 2023, they publish detailed, source-checked guides to original scores and licensed songs from the world's biggest releases - and the ones you might otherwise miss. If you have ever walked out of a movie, finished an episode, or beat a boss fight wondering "what was that song?" - this site exists for you. Across more than 1400 published guides, A2Z Soundtrack|➔|