Football is a game of sounds. The thud of boot on ball. The roar of 80,000 voices after a goal. The referee’s whistle. But beyond the pitch, beyond the stadium, the World Cup has always had a soundtrack — official anthems that become inescapable for one glorious summer, unofficial songs that capture a nation’s mood, and stadium chants that bind strangers together in collective joy.
From Ricky Martin’s hip-shaking “The Cup of Life” in 1998 to Shakira’s inescapable “Waka Waka” in 2010, from the haunting tenor of Luciano Pavarotti singing “Nessun Dorma” over images of Italia ‘90 to the communal sing-along of “Three Lions” in every English pub during every tournament since 1996, World Cup music is as much a part of the tournament’s identity as the golden trophy itself.
This is the story of the songs that defined the World Cup — and a look ahead to what 2026 might bring.
The Early Years: Before the Official Anthem Era
The concept of an official FIFA World Cup song is relatively modern. Before 1962, World Cups didn’t have designated anthems. The first recognizable tournament song was “El Rock del Mundial” — a Chilean rock-and-roll track that accompanied the 1962 World Cup. It was catchy, simple, and largely forgotten outside Chile.
The 1966 World Cup in England produced “World Cup Willie”, performed by Lonnie Donegan and named after the tournament’s lion mascot. The song was a novelty hit in the UK, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart, per Official Charts Company data. It was cheerful, unmemorable, and quintessentially English — qualities that some might argue also described the host nation’s football until Geoff Hurst changed everything on July 30.
The 1970 World Cup in Mexico featured “Fútbol México 70”, but the unofficial soundtrack of the tournament was the carnivalesque atmosphere of Mexican crowds — trumpet-driven mariachi music, the constant drone of crowd noise, and the samba rhythms of Brazil’s supporters that accompanied what many consider the greatest team performance in World Cup history.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, official World Cup songs existed but rarely transcended their immediate context. Argentina’s 1978 anthem “25 Millones” (25 million — the country’s population at the time) was a propaganda-tinged anthem commissioned by the military junta, a reminder that World Cup music has never been entirely separate from politics.
1990: The Year Everything Changed — “Nessun Dorma”
The 1990 World Cup in Italy is widely considered the moment when World Cup music became a genuine cultural force. The official song was “Un’estate Italiana” (To Be Number One), performed by Edoardo Bennato and Gianna Nannini. It was a perfectly serviceable pop-rock anthem that charted across Europe — reaching number one in Italy, number nine in Germany, and number 21 in the UK, per chart data compiled by the Official Charts Company and GfK Entertainment.
But it was the unofficial anthem of Italia ‘90 that changed everything.
“Nessun Dorma”, the aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot, was chosen by the BBC as the theme music for their World Cup coverage. Performed by Luciano Pavarotti, the piece — which translates to “none shall sleep” — became synonymous with the drama, beauty, and heartbreak of the tournament. Pavarotti’s soaring tenor, set against montages of Paul Gascoigne’s tears, Roger Milla’s corner-flag dances, and Salvatore Schillaci’s goal celebrations, created a cultural crossover moment that introduced opera to football fans and football to opera lovers.
“Nessun Dorma” reached number two on the UK Singles Chart — extraordinary for an operatic aria. Its success helped launch Pavarotti (along with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras) into mainstream celebrity via the “Three Tenors” concert series, which debuted at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome on the eve of the 1990 World Cup final. That concert was attended by 6,000 people and watched by an estimated 800 million television viewers worldwide, per Decca Records’ published figures.
The legacy of “Nessun Dorma” as a football anthem has proved remarkably durable. The BBC has reused the piece in its World Cup coverage at multiple subsequent tournaments, and it remains the single piece of music most associated with World Cup football in the UK — a testament to the power of marrying the right music with the right sporting moment.
1998: Ricky Martin and “The Cup of Life”
The 1998 World Cup in France marked the beginning of the modern era of official FIFA anthems — big-budget, globally promoted pop songs featuring major recording artists.
“La Copa de la Vida (The Cup of Life)” by Ricky Martin was released as the official song of the 1998 tournament and became a global phenomenon. The track — a high-energy Latin pop anthem featuring the instantly recognizable “Go, go, go! Ale, ale, ale!” chant — reached number one in over 30 countries, including France, Germany, Spain, and Australia, per Sony Music’s published chart data. It peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100 but was ubiquitous on American radio and television throughout the summer.
Martin performed the song at the opening ceremony of the 1998 World Cup at the Stade de France and at the draw ceremony in Marseille. His explosive live performances — combining Latin dance moves with stadium-ready energy — set a template for World Cup anthem performances that FIFA has followed ever since.
“The Cup of Life” sold over 5 million copies worldwide and is credited by music industry analysts with launching Ricky Martin’s crossover into the English-language pop market. His follow-up single, “Livin’ La Vida Loca” (1999), became a global number one — a trajectory that is difficult to imagine without the World Cup platform.
The 1998 tournament also had a second official song — “La Cour des Grands” (Do You Mind If I Play?) by French singer Youssou N’Dour and Belgian singer Axelle Red, which was used as the tournament’s closing ceremony anthem. It was a more subdued, reflective piece that received less global attention but was popular in France and Francophone Africa.
2002: A Quieter Tournament
The 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan — the first to be held in Asia — produced the official anthem “Anthem” by Vangelis, a purely instrumental piece by the Greek electronic composer best known for the Chariots of Fire soundtrack. The lack of vocals and the piece’s ambient, cinematic quality made it a departure from the pop-driven approach of 1998. It was well-received critically but did not achieve the chart success of “The Cup of Life.”
A second official song, “Boom” by Anastacia, was released as a promotional single but failed to capture public imagination in the same way. The 2002 tournament is widely considered a low point for World Cup music — a tournament where the on-pitch drama (South Korea’s controversial run to the semifinals, Ronaldinho’s free kick against England, Oliver Kahn’s heroics for Germany) far overshadowed the official soundtrack.
2006: “The Time of Our Lives” and the Hips That Didn’t Lie
The 2006 World Cup in Germany featured “The Time of Our Lives” by Italian tenor Il Divo and American singer Toni Braxton as the official anthem — a ballad that attempted to recapture the operatic grandeur of “Nessun Dorma” without its cultural specificity. It was pleasant, forgettable, and peaked at number 18 in Germany and number 39 in the UK.
But the unofficial anthem of 2006 was “Hips Don’t Lie (Bamboo Remix)” by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean. Originally released in February 2006, the track was remixed with football-themed lyrics and re-released for the World Cup. Shakira performed it at the closing ceremony in Berlin — her first World Cup performance, but not her last. The song reached number one in over 55 countries and became the best-selling single of 2006, with over 10 million copies sold, per Columbia Records.
Shakira’s association with the World Cup, which began informally in 2006, would become formal — and defining — four years later.
2010: Shakira, “Waka Waka,” and the Song That Conquered the World
The 2010 World Cup in South Africa — the first on the African continent — produced what is, by any objective measure, the most successful World Cup song ever recorded.
“Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” by Shakira featuring Freshlyground was released as the official 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem in April 2010. The song sampled “Zangalewa”, a 1986 track by Cameroonian band Golden Sounds, blending it with Shakira’s pop sensibilities and Freshlyground’s South African energy to create a track that was simultaneously African, Latin, and universal.
The numbers are staggering:
- YouTube views: Over 3.7 billion as of April 2026, making it one of the most-viewed music videos in YouTube history, per YouTube’s publicly available data.
- Chart performance: Number one in 20+ countries, including Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, and South Africa. Peaked at number 38 on the US Billboard Hot 100 but was a fixture on international charts for the entire summer.
- Sales: Over 15 million digital downloads and streams equivalent, per Sony Music data.
- Spotify streams: Over 2.5 billion streams as of early 2026, per Spotify’s artist page.
Shakira performed “Waka Waka” at the opening ceremony in Johannesburg and the closing ceremony in Soccer City — the same stadium where Spain defeated the Netherlands 1-0 in the final after Andres Iniesta’s extra-time goal. The song’s association with that dramatic final, with the vuvuzela-drenched atmosphere of South African stadiums, and with the tournament’s broader narrative of African football’s emergence on the world stage has made it the definitive World Cup anthem.
The 2010 tournament also featured a second significant musical contribution: “Wavin’ Flag” by Somali-Canadian artist K’naan, released as the official Coca-Cola promotional anthem. The song — an uplifting, chant-ready anthem with a chorus designed for stadium participation — reached number one in over 15 countries and was, for many fans, more emotionally resonant than “Waka Waka.” “Wavin’ Flag” has accumulated over 550 million YouTube views and remains a staple of football fan playlists worldwide.
2014: Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, and Brazil’s Party
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil featured “We Are One (Ole Ola)” by Pitbull featuring Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte as the official anthem. The song was a straightforward party track — heavy on bass, light on subtlety — that divided critical opinion but performed well commercially. It reached number one in several Latin American countries and peaked at number 28 in the UK and number 64 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Lopez and Pitbull performed the song at the opening ceremony at Arena de Sao Paulo. The performance was criticized for its lack of Brazilian cultural representation — a valid complaint in a country with one of the richest musical traditions on Earth. Brazilian artists and commentators noted the irony of an American-Cuban rapper and an American-Puerto Rican pop star headlining the opening ceremony of a World Cup in the land of samba, bossa nova, and tropicalia.
The tournament’s unofficial soundtracks were more memorable. “Dar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way)” by Carlos Santana featuring Wyclef Jean, Avicii, and Alexandre Pires was released as a secondary FIFA anthem and better captured the tournament’s energy. And Brazilian funk carioca — the bass-heavy, rhythmically complex dance music of Rio’s favelas — became the backdrop of the tournament for anyone who experienced it in person.
2018: “Live It Up” and Russia’s Quiet Musical Footprint
The 2018 World Cup in Russia produced “Live It Up” by Nicky Jam featuring Will Smith and Era Istrefi as the official anthem. The song was a Latin-pop track with a generic feel-good message that generated significant streaming numbers (over 1.8 billion YouTube views as of April 2026) but minimal cultural impact. Will Smith’s involvement brought star power — his promotional videos from Moscow and his performance at the closing ceremony were widely viewed — but the song itself was quickly forgotten.
The 2018 tournament is better remembered musically for the fan chants and stadium atmospheres. Argentina’s fans singing “Muchachos” (though the song’s viral moment would come in 2022), Mexico’s “Cielito Lindo,” and Iceland’s famous thunder-clap celebration — a synchronized clapping ritual that the 35,000-strong Icelandic contingent performed after their historic 1-1 draw with Argentina — all left more lasting impressions than the official anthem.
2022: “Hayya Hayya” and Qatar’s Divisive Soundtrack
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar produced multiple official songs, reflecting FIFA’s shift toward a multi-track soundtrack strategy:
- “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)” by Trinidad Cardona, Davido, and Aisha — released as the lead single. A mid-tempo, feel-good track that drew mixed reviews but achieved modest streaming success.
- “Arhbo” by Ozuna and Gims — a Latin-Afrobeat fusion track.
- “The World Is Yours to Take” by Lil Baby featuring Tears for Fears — which sampled the iconic “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”
- “Light the Sky” by Nora Fatehi, Balqees, Rahma Riad, and Manal — the first official World Cup song to feature exclusively female artists.
- “Tukoh Taka” by Nicki Minaj, Maluma, and Myriam Fares — the official fan festival anthem.
None of these tracks achieved the cultural penetration of “Waka Waka” or “The Cup of Life.” The 2022 tournament’s most memorable musical moment was, instead, an unofficial fan anthem: “Muchachos, Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar” — a reworking of the Argentine cumbia hit “Muchachos” by La Mosca Tse-Tse, with new lyrics written by Argentine fans celebrating the 2022 World Cup victory. The song went viral during the tournament, was adopted by the Argentine squad, and became the soundtrack to the largest celebration in Buenos Aires history when an estimated 4-5 million people took to the streets to welcome the team home, per Argentine government estimates.
The Unofficial Classics: Songs That Defined Nations
Beyond the official FIFA anthems, several unofficial songs have become inseparable from the World Cup experience:
“Three Lions” (England, 1996/1998/2002/2006/2010/2018/2022/2024)
Written by David Baddiel and Frank Skinner with music by Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds, “Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home)” was released for Euro 96 and has been re-released, remixed, and re-adopted for every subsequent England tournament appearance. The song’s melancholic, self-deprecating lyrics — “thirty years of hurt / never stopped me dreaming” (now updated to “sixty years of hurt”) — capture the English football fan’s psychology with uncanny precision.
“Three Lions” has reached number one on the UK Singles Chart on four separate occasions — 1996, 1998, 2018, and 2024 — making it one of the most successful recurring hits in British chart history, per the Official Charts Company. Its chorus — “it’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming, football’s coming home” — has transcended its original context to become a global meme, adopted (and mocked) by fans of every nationality.
”Waving Flag” and other Coca-Cola anthems
Coca-Cola’s parallel tradition of World Cup promotional songs — separate from FIFA’s official anthems — has produced several memorable tracks beyond K’naan’s “Wavin’ Flag.” David Correy’s “The World Is Ours” (2014) and Jason Derulo’s “Colors” (2018) both received significant promotional support, though neither achieved the cultural impact of “Wavin’ Flag.”
National team songs
Many countries have their own World Cup traditions. Italy’s “Un’estate Italiana” (1990) remains beloved. Germany’s “54, 74, 90, 2006” by Sportfreunde Stiller was a massive hit during the 2006 home World Cup. South Korea’s “Dae~Han Min-Guk” (Republic of Korea) chant — a rhythmic call-and-response that filled Korean stadiums during the 2002 World Cup — became the defining sound of one of the most surprising World Cup runs in history.
Stadium Chants and Fan Culture
World Cup music extends far beyond recorded tracks. The vuvuzela — the plastic horn that produced a deafening drone throughout the 2010 World Cup in South Africa — became the most discussed musical instrument of the 21st century, inspiring both devotion and fury in roughly equal measure. FIFA initially considered banning vuvuzelas from stadiums after complaints from broadcasters and players, but ultimately relented, acknowledging their role in South African football culture.
The Mexican wave (or simply “the wave”), the Viking thunder clap (popularized by Iceland’s national team but adopted globally), and the rhythmic drum sections of Japanese and Korean fan groups have all contributed to the World Cup’s sonic identity.
Argentine fans are widely considered the most musical in world football. Their repertoire of chants — adapted from cumbia, rock nacional, and folk music traditions — has been documented extensively by ethnomusicologists. A 2023 study published in the journal Popular Music found that Argentine football chants draw from a wider range of musical genres than those of any other national fan culture, reflecting the country’s rich and diverse musical heritage.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 World Cup Soundtrack
As of April 2026, FIFA has not announced the official song or performing artist for the 2026 World Cup. Speculation has centered on several possibilities:
Latin-American artist: Given the tournament’s location across the United States, Mexico, and Canada — three countries with enormous Latin music markets — a Latin artist is a strong possibility. Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican reggaeton star who is the most-streamed artist on Spotify globally (over 18.5 billion streams in 2025, per Spotify data), has been mentioned as a frontrunner in media speculation.
North American pop star: Beyonce, Drake, or a collaboration involving multiple North American artists could appeal to the host-nation audience. Beyonce’s 2024 country album Cowboy Carter demonstrated her ability to cross genre boundaries, and a World Cup anthem would be consistent with her trajectory as a global cultural figure.
Collaborative approach: FIFA’s 2022 strategy of releasing multiple tracks rather than a single anthem may be continued, allowing for a diverse soundtrack that reflects the three host nations’ musical traditions — American pop and hip-hop, Mexican regional music and reggaeton, and Canadian indie and French-Canadian pop.
Fan prediction: A viral social media movement has pushed for a collaboration between Shakira (returning for a third World Cup after 2010 and 2014) and a North American artist. The combination of Shakira’s proven World Cup track record and the North American setting would create a powerful marketing narrative.
Whatever FIFA chooses, the 2026 World Cup anthem will face the same challenge as every predecessor: capturing a moment, a mood, a summer of football in three minutes and thirty seconds. The greatest World Cup songs — “Waka Waka,” “Three Lions,” “Nessun Dorma,” “The Cup of Life” — succeeded because they resonated beyond the tournament itself, becoming part of the cultural vocabulary of entire nations.
The 2026 official song has enormous shoes to fill. But then again, so does every World Cup. And somehow, every four years, the music rises to the occasion — because football and music share the same fundamental truth: they are at their best when they bring people together.
The beautiful game. The beautiful sound. One more summer. One more song.
