By Tim Parsons-
Global pop superstar Shakira has officially teased her return to the world of FIFA anthems, unveiling a preview of a new song titled “Dai Dai” alongside Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The announcement has already ignited excitement among football and music fans worldwide, with many drawing immediate comparisons to Shakira’s iconic 2010 World Cup hit Waka Waka (This Time for Africa). The singer shared a one-minute teaser video filmed inside the legendary Maracanã Stadium, showing her performing on the pitch with dancers while snippets of the new track played in the background.
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In the clip, Shakira sings in English over a rhythmic blend of Latin pop and Afrobeats influences, while Burna Boy’s contribution is teased through layered harmonies and production elements. The full song is scheduled for release on May 14. The announcement marks another major crossover moment for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Tournament organizers have increasingly leaned into globally collaborative music projects to reflect the event’s international audience and multicultural identity.
Shakira’s return to the World Cup stage carries particular symbolic weight because of her long association with FIFA tournaments. Her 2010 anthem “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”, created with South African group Freshlyground, became one of the most commercially successful football songs ever recorded and remains deeply associated with the tournament itself.
The teaser for “Dai Dai” immediately generated intense online reaction, with fans describing the collaboration as a fusion of two major global musical movements: Latin pop and Afrobeats. Social media users praised the pairing as one of the most ambitious musical collaborations attached to a FIFA tournament in recent years.
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With Shakira, the new anthem represents a continuation of a relationship with FIFA that stretches back nearly two decades. Before “Waka Waka” became synonymous with the 2010 tournament in South Africa, she had already appeared musically at the 2006 World Cup in Germany with a remix of Hips Don’t Lie. She later returned during the 2014 tournament in Brazil with La La La (Brazil 2014), performing at the closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.
Her repeated involvement has made her one of the artists most strongly linked with the modern musical identity of the World Cup. FIFA tournaments have increasingly used official songs and anthems as part of broader branding strategies designed to create emotional resonance beyond football itself.
Ricky Martin’s The Cup of Life to Pitbull’s We Are One (Ole Ola), these tracks often become cultural markers tied to specific tournaments and eras.Yet among those songs, “Waka Waka” achieved a particularly rare level of longevity. The track became a global chart success, generated billions of online views and streams, and evolved into what many fans still consider the defining modern World Cup anthem. Its enduring popularity has inevitably created enormous expectations for “Dai Dai.”
The decision to partner with Burna Boy also reflects FIFA’s increasing embrace of African and Afrobeats influence in global pop culture. Burna Boy has become one of the genre’s most internationally successful figures over the past decade, helping push Afrobeats into mainstream global markets through collaborations with artists across hip-hop, pop and Latin music.
Industry analysts note that the collaboration is strategically timed. Afrobeats has continued to dominate streaming platforms worldwide, while Latin music remains one of the fastest-growing genres internationally.
Pairing Shakira with Burna Boy effectively merges two globally influential sounds at a moment when FIFA is attempting to market the 2026 tournament as the most internationally connected World Cup in history.
The teaser itself hints at that multicultural approach. The video features dancers from different backgrounds performing in brightly colored costumes while fireworks illuminate the stadium. The phrase “We Are Ready” appears at the end of the clip, reinforcing themes of unity and anticipation associated with the tournament.
FIFA builds musical momentum ahead of 2026 tournament
The release of “Dai Dai” forms part of a broader entertainment strategy surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FIFA and commercial partners have already begun unveiling music-related promotional campaigns designed to build momentum more than a year before kickoff.
Separately, Coca-Cola recently announced another tournament anthem project involving J Balvin, Travis Barker and Steve Vai through a reinterpretation of Jump by Van Halen.
That growing number of musical tie-ins reflects the scale of the upcoming tournament itself. The 2026 edition will be the first World Cup expanded to 48 teams and will span venues across North America, including the opening match at Estadio Azteca and the final at MetLife Stadium.
Music has become central to FIFA’s efforts to create a broader cultural spectacle around the tournament, particularly as competition grows with other global sporting events and entertainment properties. Official songs are now expected not just to accompany the tournament but to function as standalone global hits capable of dominating streaming charts and social media.
With Burna Boy, the collaboration also marks another major milestone in the globalisation of Afrobeats. The Nigerian artist has spent recent years expanding his reach through high-profile festival appearances, Grammy recognition, and collaborations with major international performers.
His involvement in an official FIFA anthem places him alongside a growing list of African artists increasingly positioned at the center of global entertainment culture.
The teaser’s release has already prompted speculation about whether Shakira and Burna Boy will perform “Dai Dai” live during the tournament’s opening ceremony or final. FIFA has not yet officially confirmed performance plans, though previous World Cup songs have often featured prominently during tournament ceremonies and promotional events.
Fans online have reacted with a mixture of nostalgia and curiosity. Many celebrated Shakira’s return to World Cup music after the enduring popularity of “Waka Waka,” while others expressed excitement about how Burna Boy’s Afrobeats sound might reshape the traditional structure of a football anthem.
The collaboration also arrives during a particularly active period in Shakira’s career. The Colombian singer has remained one of Latin music’s most commercially visible figures in recent years, driven by streaming success, major collaborations, and renewed global attention following a series of highly publicised releases. Burna Boy, meanwhile, continues to expand his influence beyond Africa into North American and European mainstream music markets.
Whether “Dai Dai” ultimately reaches the cultural heights of “Waka Waka” remains uncertain. World Cup songs often struggle under the weight of expectations attached to earlier classics. But FIFA’s decision to reunite Shakira with the tournament and pair her with one of Afrobeats’ biggest stars signals a clear ambition to create a soundtrack capable of matching the scale and diversity of the 2026 event.
The teaser alone has succeeded in generating what FIFA and its music partners most wanted: anticipation. While the countdown to the 2026 World Cup continues, “Dai Dai” has already positioned itself at the center of the tournament’s growing cultural narrative.
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