What makes a very good World Cup anthem? Because the early ’90s, FIFA officers have commissioned an official tune for every World Cup. Some have been duds, whereas others became world hits.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DAI DAI”)
SHAKIRA: (Singing) Ole, ole.
EYDER PERALTA, HOST:
Should you’re a soccer fan, it’s possible you’ll affiliate previous FIFA World Cups with a specific artist.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DAI DAI”)
SHAKIRA: (Singing) You knew from the day…
PERALTA: The Colombian celebrity Shakira is as soon as once more accountable for the official 2026 World Cup theme.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DAI DAI”)
SHAKIRA: (Singing) Dai Dai, ikou, dale, allez, let’s go. Dai Dai, ikou, dale, allez, let’s go.
PERALTA: It is referred to as “Dai Dai,” and it is a collaboration with Nigerian singer/songwriter Burna Boy. There’s additionally an official album for the match, which will probably be performed within the U.S., Canada and Mexico. NPR’s Isabella Gomez Sarmiento joins me now for extra on the soundtrack. Good morning.
ISABELLA GOMEZ SARMIENTO, BYLINE: Hello, Eyder. Thanks for having me.
PERALTA: So let’s speak in regards to the music for this match. Let’s start with Shakira.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: So Shakira launched this tune with Burna Boy, who’s an enormous celebrity in Nigeria – “Dai Dai.” It is very energetic. It is acquired this nice form of mixture of rhythms that Shakira is understood for, and it looks like it is doing fairly nicely. It looks like individuals are actually responding to it.
PERALTA: One other one from this album is by Jelly Roll and Carin Leon.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LIGHTER”)
JELLY ROLL: (Singing) Chains do not rattle no extra. Good Lord, I am feeling lighter.
CARIN LEON: (Singing in Spanish).
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: That one is extra of, like, a rock tune. It looks like it is falling somewhat bit flat. It would not fairly have this form of energetic crowd really feel. And, you realize, one thing that I used to be actually lacking – it is smart that they attempt to pair Jelly Roll, an American artist, with Carin Leon, who’s an enormous Mexican celebrity. He is about to do a residency on the Sphere. However we do not actually get any of the form of Carin Leon parts. I want the tune had extra of the standard Mexican sound that he performs with. It looks like a sort of one-note rock tune to me. What do you assume?
PERALTA: I imply, it seems like a monster truck business to me (laughter).
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: Precisely. I do not know if it actually matches the vibe of a soccer tune.
PERALTA: Yeah. So – I imply, when did this custom of FIFA selecting or commissioning songs start?
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: There’s all the time been an enormous tradition of music round soccer and across the World Cup specifically, nevertheless it was in 1990 when FIFA determined to formally fee artists to create songs for the match. We all know the World Cup occurs each 4 years. In 1990, it was in Italy, and that first official tune was referred to as “Un’Property Italiana,” or “To Be Quantity One” in English.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “UN’ESTATE ITALIANA (TO BE NUMBER ONE)”)
EDOARDO BENNATO AND GIANNA NANNINI: (Singing in Italian).
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: There have been two variations of it, and we have seen that develop into form of an ordinary – that FIFA will do songs in a few totally different languages to attraction to a mass world viewers.
PERALTA: Isabella, what are a number of the hottest examples of those songs?
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: One of many largest ones that come to thoughts is Ricky Martin’s “Cup Of Life,” or “La Copa de la Vida,” for the France World Cup in 1998. That tune really went on to win a Grammy, and it was form of on the peak of the Latin increase explosion that Ricky Martin helped lead in world music.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “CUP OF LIFE (LA COPA DE LA VIDA)”)
RICKY MARTIN: (Singing) The cup of life, that is the one. Now could be the time. Do not ever cease.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: There have been different ones all through the years, you realize – “Ole Ola,” “We Are One,” by Pitbull and J.Lo for the Brazilian World Cup in 2014.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WE ARE ONE (OLE OLA)”)
PITBULL: (Singing) Put your flags up within the sky, and wave ’em facet to facet.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: You realize, a number of these songs that form of get the spirit and the vitality of everybody collectively, chanting an enormous refrain collectively in a stadium, the emotional narrative of why soccer is such an enormous sport in several components of the world. However there may be one clear winner, I’d say.
PERALTA: I imply, and we all know what that’s, proper? As a result of it additionally wins for one of the best sports activities match tune ever.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: Completely. It is clearly “Waka Waka” by Shakira.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WAKA WAKA (THIS TIME FOR AFRICA)”)
SHAKIRA: (Singing) Tsamina mina, eh eh. Waka waka, eh eh. Tsamina mina zangalewa. This time for Africa.
PERALTA: I imply, I’ve seen, like, my children dance to that. Like, after I was in South Africa years later, and it was nonetheless enjoying.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: Yeah. I believe it is an unbelievable tune. That was for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and it actually took on a lifetime of its personal. I believe a part of the success of that tune is that it is one thing Shakira is of course already good at and does rather a lot in her music, which is mixing sounds from totally different components of the world, you realize? Like, I believe, for the reason that very starting of her profession, she was superb at form of taking parts of Mexican ranchera and taking Brazilian samba. And since she’s from the coast of Colombia, there’s already a number of African influences within the music there. So when it got here to creating “Waka Waka,” there are, you realize, very energetic and full of life sounds that really feel very pure with Shakira’s sound as it’s. So it simply – it fully exploded.
PERALTA: So, clearly, we simply gave, like, tons of reward to “Waka Waka.” Does this yr’s tune measure up?
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: You realize, I believe “Waka Waka’s” No. 1, and I do not assume something’s ever going to match.
PERALTA: So the match kicks off Thursday right here in Mexico Metropolis. What can we count on on the music facet for the opening ceremony?
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: There’s going to be a couple of Mexican artists there – the rock band Mana, mariachi royalty Alejandro Fernandez, the pop star Belinda, the Cumbia group Los Angeles Azules, and there will probably be a few artists from different components of the world. So the Colombian Reggaeton star J Balvin, the South African singer Tyla and the Venezuelan singer Danny Ocean are amongst a number of the individuals who will probably be performing.
PERALTA: You realize, I’ve to say, I discover this lineup somewhat suspect, as a result of Mexico is having a musical second proper now, proper? It has been having it for a few years. Corridos tumbados have taken the world by storm, and I do not actually see any illustration of that.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: Yeah. You are completely proper. I imply, Musica Mexicana has had an enormous explosion during the last three or 4 years, and we have seen all of those youthful artists who’ve emerged, you realize, Peso Pluma, Grupo Frontera, Fuerza Regida, Yahritza y Su Esencia.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FRAGIL”)
YAHRITZA Y SU ESENCIA AND GRUPO FRONTERA: (Singing in Spanish).
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: These are a number of Mexican American artists who’re placing their very own modern spin on extra conventional regional Mexican sounds, they usually’re actually form of bridging this hole throughout the border, throughout id of their sound. It could have been an enormous alternative to – you realize, as we’re heading into the World Cup, there’s been some tensions about the way in which that this World Cup is being hosted throughout North American international locations. I believe having these artists there may have actually helped drive house this theme of unity and solidarity that World Cup anthems are so usually constructed round.
PERALTA: All proper. I will put you on the spot. Who’s going to win?
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: Oh, my God. I imply, I’ve to say Colombia. Like, for private causes. I’ve to root for Colombia, however I do not know. What’s your prediction?
PERALTA: I am not going there.
(LAUGHTER)
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: That is – you are smarter than I’m. That was a trick query.
PERALTA: (Laughter) Completely. That is NPR’s Isabella Gomez Sarmiento. Isabella, thanks, and comfortable World Cup.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: Thanks.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FRAGIL”)
YAHRITZA Y SU ESENCIA AND GRUPO FRONTERA: (Singing in Spanish).
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