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How to make a great World Cup song? Shakira, J Balvin, Nora Fatehi and more reveal

Performers behind World Cup songs for 2026 and earlier events reveal the secrets behind making a memorable football tune

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Colombian superstar Shakira performs during the Global Citizen Festival in New York in 2025. Shakira co-wrote and performed “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)“, the official song of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, and “Dai Dai”, the official song of the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Photo: AP
Associated Press
What makes a memorable World Cup anthem? Is it a song that best reflects the host countries? Is it a global banger, incorporating multiple languages and genres? Or should it simply value a chant-along chorus above all?

There is an argument to make for each – or perhaps all. With the 2026 Fifa World Cup now upon us, performers behind World Cup songs past and present share their thoughts on the burning question. The list includes Shakira – who, alongside Afrobeats star Burna Boy, is responsible for the official 2026 Fifa World Cup song, “Dai Dai” – and newcomer Nora Fatehi.

Before “Dai Dai”, Colombian superstar Shakira co-wrote and performed “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” featuring Afro-fusion pop band Freshlyground, the official anthem of the 2010 Fifa World Cup held in South Africa.
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“Fútbol is a thing that unites so many cultures and people of different walks of life,” Shakira says. “The big responsibility of making a World Cup song is that you’ve got to make a song that represents people’s feelings, emotions and passion.

“So you’ve got to write that song, in a way, understanding that it has to be global. It has to encompass so many cultures and represent so many in one tune. That, in a way, has helped me craft those songs in the past.”

Shakira, Burna Boy - Dai Dai (Official Video)

Beyond those conceptual ideas, Shakira has some specific sonic suggestions as well.

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