FIFA World Cup Anthems: Shakira’s Waka Waka, 4 Other Hit Songs From Football Tournaments
- The football world is gearing up for the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by three different countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico
- Aside from the on-pitch performances from footballers, the tournament also comes with songs that many have relished for years
- In this article, Legit.ng lists popular FIFA World Cup official and non-official anthems, including international star Shakira's hit Waka Waka
- In a chat with Legit.ng, a sports content creator shared his expectations for the 2026 World Cup
Four years after Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup where Afrobeats star Davido performed during the closing ceremony, the football world is once again preparing for another tournament to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will commence on Thursday, June 11, to Sunday, July 19, 2026, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches over 39 days.
Source: Instagram
Aside from the on pitch performances, unveiling of new kits by various countries, the football tournament also comes with its own soundtrack.
For this year's tournament, the Nigerian music industry was not left behind, with Davido, Burna Boy, Rema and Ayra Starr teaming up with international colleagues to drop songs for the football tournament.
Legit.ng recently reported that Davido is scheduled to perform at the FIFA World Cup Countdown concert on June 10, 2026, at the famous Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
In this article, we have listed the most iconic official and unofficial World Cup songs in no particular order.
1. Waka Waka by Shakira in 2010
Source: Instagram
Colombian superstar Shakira, who has again teamed up with Afrobeats star Burna Boy for their joint official song “Dai Dai" for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is no stranger to the tournament.
In 2010, Shakira dropped Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) when the World Cup was hosted by South Africa.
While she co-wrote and produced the song, she based its famous chorus on a marching chant from the 1986 song "Zamina mina (Zangaléwa)" by the Cameroonian band Golden Sounds. Waka Waka was so popular that it holds the Guinness World Record for the most-streamed FIFA World Cup song.
Video of Shakira's Waka Waka is below:
2. We Are One (Ole Ola) by Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte
Source: Instagram
The song was released in 2014 when the football tournament was hosted by Brazil. It was the lead single for the tournament's official album, One Love, One Rhythm.
While the song made it to music charts, there were reservations about it in Brazil that it was too generic, featured too much English and Spanish, and lacked an authentic, homegrown Brazilian rhythm.
Video of We Are One here:
3. Wavin' Flag by K'NAAN released in 2010
Source: Instagram
This is another popular song from the World Cup tournament hosted in South Africa in 2010.
The song by Somali-born rapper K'Naan became an anthem after being used in Coca-Cola commercials and going to number one in more than six countries.
However, the BBC reported that Wavin' Flag was not written as a football song; beneath its celebratory tone lies the story of its creator's narrow escape from a life of war and his subsequent rise as a hip-hop star and global role model.
A video of Wavin' Flag by K'NAA
4. The Time of Our Lives, Il Divo feat. Toni Braxton from 2006
The song by Divo and R&B singer Toni Braxton was the official anthem of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
The Time of Our Lives was an orchestral, operatic pop ballad that focused on emotional destiny and shared memories.
Worthy of mention, Stand Up (For the Champions) is a song by British band Right Said Fred from their album Stand Up in 2002.
It was famously used as a signature anthem for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. While it was originally released in 2002, its energetic rhythm and lyrics made it a massive hit for football.
Favourites to win the World Cup
A sports content creator, Paul Fakayejo, shared his expectation for the FIFA World Cup is high. He also predicted France and Argentina have a high chance of winning the 2026 tournament.
"The expectation is high because it will be held in Mexico, USA and Canada. I am eager to see how it will end because football is coming to the USA instead of the soccer that they call it. France has always performed well when it comes to the World Cup; they have entered the final in the last two competitions, and also Argentina, hoping they will retain the trophy. Also, we shouldn’t forget the young Spanish players; they have been performing well lately in international competitions," he said.
IShowSpeed drops unofficial 2026 World Cup anthem
Legit.ng previously reported that American streamer, IShowSpeed, sparked debate following the release of his self-acclaimed tournament anthem, “World Cup (Champions).”
The high-energy music video, which premiered on YouTube on June 1, amassed over 3.3 million views and hundreds of thousands of likes in less than 24 hours.
The track featured crowd chants representing various footballing nations, with a distinct spotlight on Ghana, a country where he holds honorary citizenship, alongside the appearance of large flags and traditional dancers.
His action also stirred a response from the world football body, FIFA.
Source: Legit.ng
