The World Cup — officially — has an official song. Shakira and Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy have teamed up to release “Dai Dai,” FIFA said in a statement Friday.
“Dai Dai brings together the global sounds and energy of Shakira and Burna Boy in a vibrant celebration of football, culture and unity,” FIFA said.
“Dai dai” is an Italian expression that means “come on” or “go, go,” and is often used to encourage someone someone to push forward. The multilingual chorus “Dai dai, Ikó, dale, allez, let’s go!,” captures the global spirit that defines the World Cup.
The song shouts out some of the legends of the sport, including Pelé, Maradona, Maldini, Romário, Cristiano Ronaldo, Beckham, Kaká, Mbappé, Iniesto, Messi and Salah and “El Pibe” (Colombian soccer star Carlos Valderrama).
In early May, the Colombian singer foreshadowed Friday’s news by sharing a minute-long teaser clip of the new song, writing on social media: “From Maracaná Stadium, here is “Dai Dai,” the FIFA World Cup Official Song 2026.”
FIFA said royalties from the song, which is available on major streaming platforms, will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
It marks the second time Shakira has been tapped for an official FIFA World Cup song. In 2010, she released “Waka, Waka (This Time for Africa)” for the South Africa World Cup.
On Thursday, FIFA announced that the final on July 19 in New Jersey will feature a star-studded halftime show headlined by Madonna, Shakira and boy band BTS.
The World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and will run from Thursday, June 11, to Sunday, July 19.