Global pop icon Shakira is heading back to football's biggest stage, reviving memories of her 2010 smash hit 'Waka Waka' with a brand new anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup being held across the United States, Mexico and Canada this summer.
The Colombian singer announced on Thursday that her new track, 'Dai Dai', will serve as the tournament's official. The single, featuring Nigerian Grammy-winning star Burna Boy, is scheduled for release on May 14.
Shakira teased the anthem through a high-energy video filmed inside Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana Stadium, where she appeared in football-inspired colours while performing alongside dancers representing different nations.
Posting the clip on social media, the singer wrote: "From Maracana Stadium, here is 'Dai Dai,' the FIFA World Cup Official Song 2026. Coming 5/14. We're ready!" The announcement immediately triggered excitement among football fans online.
Fans still regard 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)' as one of the most memorable World Cup songs ever produced. Released for the 2010 tournament in South Africa, the anthem became a global phenomenon and remains closely associated with football culture more than a decade later.
The new track marks Shakira's second official World Cup anthem and her fourth major musical appearance connected to the tournament. Alongside 'Waka Waka', she also recorded 'La La La (Brazil 2014)' and performed 'Hips Don't Lie' during the closing ceremony of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
The teaser video for 'Dai Dai' closes with fireworks erupting above the Maracana as the words "We are ready" appear across the stadium, signalling the countdown toward football's expanded 48-team tournament.
For FIFA, the return of Shakira appears aimed at recreating the cultural impact that earlier World Cup songs once enjoyed globally. In recent years, football anthems have struggled to match the lasting popularity of tracks such as 'Waka Waka' and 'Wavin' Flag', both of which became synonymous with their respective tournaments.
With Burna Boy bringing contemporary Afrobeats influence into the collaboration, 'Dai Dai' is expected to blend Latin pop rhythms with African musical energy, reflecting the increasingly global identity of modern football.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, with matches staged across North America in what will become the largest World Cup in the tournament's history.
from Latest Lifestyle News, Fashion & Celebrity News - The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/l5p3Eo6
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