By Ayomide Otitoju
Global music stars Shakira and Burna Boy have teamed up for “Dai Dai,” the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The song was released on Friday through Sony Music Latin and FIFA, marking a major collaboration between two of the world’s leading music acts.
Blending Shakira’s Latin pop and reggaetón sound with Burna Boy’s globally recognised Afrobeats style, the nearly four-minute track delivers a message of unity, resilience and the shared passion for football. Its multilingual chorus — “Dai dai, iko, dale, allez, let’s go” — combines expressions from different languages to reflect the global appeal of the tournament.
The song’s lyrics promote courage and belonging, with lines including: “Knew from the day you were born / Here in this place, you belong / You’ve been this brave all along / What broke you once made you strong.”
Beyond the music, “Dai Dai” is tied to a global charitable initiative. FIFA said royalties from the track will be directed to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million before the end of the tournament to expand access to quality education and football opportunities for children worldwide.
Shakira is donating her entire share of the royalties, while Sony Music Latin will match the first $250,000 generated by the song.
For Burna Boy, popularly known as the “African Giant,” the collaboration marks another milestone in his international career and further highlights the growing global influence of Afrobeats.
His involvement continues the increasing visibility of Nigerian artistes at major football events. Davido became the first Nigerian artiste to feature on an official FIFA World Cup song with “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)” for the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Other Nigerian stars, including Rema and Tems, have also performed at internationally televised sporting events, underscoring Afrobeats’ expanding global reach.
Shakira, widely regarded as the “Queen of World Cup Music,” has maintained a long-standing association with FIFA tournaments. Her 2010 World Cup anthem, Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), became one of the most successful football songs of all time, followed by La La La (Brazil 2014).
FIFA has also confirmed that Shakira, Madonna and BTS will headline the first-ever halftime show during a FIFA World Cup final.
Shakira is expected to perform “Dai Dai” at the historic concert scheduled for July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium, where the World Cup final will take place. The halftime show is being curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, and will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams.
With “Dai Dai,” FIFA aims to build excitement ahead of the expanded competition while promoting unity and supporting educational opportunities for children around the world.
