Shakira has officially returned to football’s biggest global stage after unveiling “Dai Dai” as the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking another major chapter in her long-standing association with the tournament.
The Colombian pop icon teased the track through a video filmed at Maracanã Stadium in Brazil, where she appeared alongside dancers wearing the colours of participating national teams. The song also features Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy.
The full track is scheduled for release on May 14 ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
The announcement immediately reignited nostalgia among football and music fans, with Shakira widely regarded as one of the artists most closely associated with World Cup culture, following the massive global success of “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” during the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
Her involvement with FIFA events spans multiple tournaments. She performed “Hips Don’t Lie” during the 2006 World Cup festivities in Germany, released “Waka Waka” as the official 2010 anthem, and later performed “La La La (Brazil 2014)” during the Brazil tournament.
The teaser video for “Dai Dai” also included visual references to previous World Cups, featuring official match balls from the 2006, 2010, and 2014 tournaments.
Industry analysts say FIFA continues to increasingly blend football, music, and entertainment as part of broader efforts to maximize global audience engagement around the tournament, particularly across digital and social media platforms.
The inclusion of Burna Boy also reflects FIFA’s growing emphasis on globally diverse musical collaborations to connect with younger international audiences.
The 2026 edition will be the largest FIFA World Cup in history, featuring 48 national teams and 104 matches across North America.
Shakira’s return to the tournament soundtrack is expected to generate significant global streaming traction given the enduring popularity of her earlier World Cup songs, particularly “Waka Waka,” which remains one of the most commercially successful football anthems ever released.
The announcement additionally reinforces the increasingly central role of entertainment and celebrity culture within modern global sporting events, where official songs, digital campaigns, and artist collaborations now form a major part of tournament branding and fan engagement strategies.
