Shakira is back with a new World Cup song - can “Dai Dai” live up to “Waka Waka”?

More than a decade after defining a generation of soccer fans, Shakira is returning to the biggest stage in sports. The global superstar just teased “Dai Dai”, the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the preview has already sparked excitement. But can Shakira make the same impact twice?

This isn’t just another World Cup anthem. It’s a follow-up to one of the most iconic sports songs ever made.

What we know about “Dai Dai” so far

Shakira confirmed the new track, titled “Dai Dai”, will serve as the official anthem for the 2026 World Cup, set to be played across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The song is scheduled for release on May 14 and features Nigerian superstar Burna Boy.

The preview, filmed at Brazil’s Maracanã stadium, shows Shakira performing snippets of the track with dancers and football imagery, a typical formula for World Cup anthems.

The title itself, “Dai Dai”, roughly translates to “let’s go” or “come on”, reinforcing the global, high-energy theme FIFA typically looks for in its tournament songs. But beyond that, details are still limited.

Can “Dai Dai” match “Waka Waka”?

Any new Shakira World Cup song will inevitably be compared to “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”. And that’s a very high bar.

Released for the 2010 World Cup, “Waka Waka” became a global phenomenon with over 15 million copies sold worldwide, billions of YouTube views, and is now one of the most recognizable sports songs ever made.

More importantly, it transcended the tournament itself. Even today, it’s still played at sporting events, parties, and international broadcasts. That’s the standard for “Dai Dai” now - not just to be good, but to be unforgettable.

Shakira and the World Cup: a rare legacy

This isn’t Shakira’s first return to the tournament stage though. In addition to In addition to 2010’s “Waka Waka”, she also performed “La La La (Brazil 2014)”.

With “Dai Dai,” she becomes one of the few artists ever to headline multiple World Cup cycles, and arguably the most closely associated with FIFA’s musical identity in the modern era.

Who is Burna Boy?

For American audiences, the biggest wildcard in this collaboration might be Burna Boy. He’s one of the biggest global artists in music right now.

He is widely considered a leading figure in Afrobeats and was named Billboard’s top Afrobeats artist in 2023. He’s been nominated for multiple Grammys, including a historic recognition for African artists, and is one of the most streamed African musicians worldwide.

His inclusion signals that “Dai Dai” won’t just be a Latin-pop anthem. It’s likely to be a global fusion track, blending styles and audiences across continents.

And that fits perfectly with a 2026 World Cup that will be the most international ever, spanning three countries and expanding to 48 teams.

Why this song matters in 2026

World Cup songs aren’t just background music. They shape how fans remember the tournament. “Waka Waka” became synonymous with 2010. “Wavin’ Flag” defined an era.

Now, “Dai Dai” arrives at a time when the World Cup is expanding, the U.S. market is more important than ever, and global music is more interconnected than ever.

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