Shakira, the acclaimed queen of Latin music who last weekend was celebrated by two million people on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, is back in the news. This time it is not for gathering that enormous crowd or for inviting Anitta, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethania and Ivete Sangalo to her show, but because she will sing the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be played in June in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
The Colombian singer will perform the song “Dai Dai” alongside Nigerian artist Burna Boy, FIFA confirmed on its X account, where it shared the same promotional post from the Barranquilla-born artist: a video recorded at the iconic Maracana Stadium, whose choreography preserves Shakira’s signature upbeat style and also a rhythm that is highly infectious. The song will be available starting May 14. “We are ready,” FIFA said.
Shakira appears wearing a yellow shirt and blue shorts, the well-known Brazil national team uniform, surrounded by several footballs and a group of dancers while singing fragments of “Dai Dai.” She steps onto the grass of an empty stadium carrying a Trionda ball, the official ball of the upcoming World Cup. She places the ball on the pitch as if about to start a play, but that is where the “Dai Dai” choreography begins with her dancers.
Everyone is dressed in the colors of teams such as Colombia, Argentina, or the United States. The brief performance ends with a delta-wing formation, in which the point is Shakira, flanked by 14 female dancers. Behind them, 15 male dancers harmonize the entire group performance.
The song reinforces the emotional aspect of overcoming and resilience
The song begins with an “Oe, oe, oe,” in a joyful Caribbean rhythm. The lyrics are in English, as an allusion to the fact that this is a World Cup for everyone. The choreography is completed with four footballs: those from the 2006 Germany World Cup, the 2010 South Africa World Cup, and the 2014 Brazil World Cup, plus the Trionda from North America 2026.
Shakira had already performed the official song of a FIFA World Cup, the 2010 South Africa edition. On that occasion the song was “Waka Waka” (“This Time for Africa”). Four years later, the Barranquilla singer repeated with “La La La” for the 2014 Brazil World Cup. Meanwhile, her hit “Hips Don’t Lie” was a sensation in 2006 in Germany.
“Dai Dai” blends African, Latin, and urban rhythms, which has sparked many conversations on social media, as has its title, an Italian expression that can be translated as “come on, come on,” “go on,” or “let’s go.” It is a phrase used to motivate and push forward, closely tied to the competitive and emotional spirit of football.
Other expressions such as “dale, dale” and “let’s go” reinforce the message of multiculturalism, something inherent to the spirit that World Cups seek to highlight. Statements such as “What once broke you made you strong” also reinforce the emotional aspect of overcoming and resilience, very much part of sport, but which extends into everyday life.