From Waka Waka to Dai Dai: Shakira reignites World Cup 2026 fever with new anthem
Nigerian star Burna Boy joins high-energy cross-continental collaboration
DUBAI – Global pop icon Shakira is returning to football’s biggest musical stage with a brand-new FIFA World Cup anthem titled Dai Dai.
The Colombian singer has teased the track on Instagram, sparking widespread excitement among fans ahead of its official release on May 14.
The song features Nigerian artist Burna Boy, marking a cross-continental collaboration blending Latin pop and Afrobeats influences. The teaser, filmed at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium, has already generated more than 2 million likes online, signalling strong global anticipation.
The release comes ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
New anthem
In the teaser clip, Shakira appears inside the iconic Maracana Stadium, delivering a short preview of Dai Dai surrounded by football-inspired visuals and celebratory staging.
The short video has rapidly gone viral, with the chant-like rhythm already circulating across social platforms. The collaboration with Burna Boy adds a new layer of global fusion to the track, continuing FIFA’s tradition of blending international sounds for its official tournament anthem.
FIFA World Cup 2026
Shakira’s return to the World Cup spotlight builds on a long association with football music. Her 2010 anthem Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) remains one of the most recognisable tournament songs, amassing more than 4.5 billion views on YouTube and becoming a cultural staple over the past 16 years. She later contributed La La La (Brazil 2014) and performed Hips Don’t Lie at the 2006 World Cup closing ceremony in Germany, reinforcing her recurring presence across editions of the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature matches across North America, with the final scheduled at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, while the opening match is set for Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.