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MEXICO CITY – Colombian pop superstar Shakira and Nigerian Afrobeats icon Burna Boy are set to headline the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FIFA confirmed on Friday, June 5, 2026. The duo will take the stage at Mexico City’s legendary Estadio Azteca on June 11 to perform “Dai Dai,” the tournament’s official song, in what organizers are calling a historic moment for football’s global showpiece.
The ceremony marks the first of three opening events across the three host nations—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—in the first-ever 48-team World Cup. Mexico kicks off the proceedings on Thursday, June 11, with the hosts facing South Africa at Mexico City Stadium at 1:00 p.m. local time (21:00 CET). The ceremony at the iconic Azteca, which becomes the first stadium to host World Cup opening matches across three separate tournaments, will begin 90 minutes before kickoff at 11:30 a.m. local time, with stadium gates swinging open four hours earlier for a full slate of fan experiences.
“Dai Dai,” released on May 15 through Sony Music Latin and Ace Entertainment, is a nearly four-minute multilingual anthem that fuses Shakira’s signature Latin pop and reggaetón sound with Burna Boy’s globally acclaimed Afrobeats style. The title, derived from an Italian expression meaning “let’s go” or “come on,” serves as a rallying cry for the tournament. Its chorus— “Dai dai, iko, dale, allez, let’s go!” —weaves together Italian, Japanese, Spanish, French, and English, reflecting the World Cup’s diverse global audience. Lyrically, the song delivers a message of unity, courage, and belonging, with lines such as: “Knew from the day you were born / Here in this place, you belong”. The music video, directed by Hannah Lux Davis, was shot in Miami and opens with Shakira standing atop Mexico City’s iconic Angel of Independence monument before transitioning to desert dance scenes featuring African children and Burna Boy’s introduction.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the lineup as a reflection of the tournament’s multicultural spirit. “The lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the vibrancy of its many diasporas, highlighting the nation’s rich influence on music, entertainment and pop culture,” Infantino said ahead of the Los Angeles ceremony. Joining Shakira and Burna Boy on stage in Mexico City will be a formidable roster of Latin and global talent, including Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin, South African singer Tyla, Mexican rock band Maná, regional music icon Alejandro Fernández, acclaimed singer Lila Downs, the legendary cumbia group Los Ángeles Azules, Belinda, and Venezuelan artist Danny Ocean.
The opening events span the entire continent. Following Mexico City’s ceremony on June 11, Toronto will host its own celebration on the morning of June 12, featuring Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé, Alessia Cara, and others. Later that day, Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) will stage the headline U.S. ceremony beginning at 4:30 p.m. local time, featuring Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema, and Tyla. This marks the first time in World Cup history that three separate opening ceremonies will unfold across host nations.
Beyond its entertainment value, “Dai Dai” carries a significant social mission. All royalties from the song will go to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, a campaign aiming to raise $100 million by the tournament’s end to provide quality education and football opportunities for children in underserved communities worldwide. Shakira has donated her entire share of the royalties, while Sony Music Latin has pledged to match the first $250,000 generated by the track. The initiative underscores FIFA’s broader push to leverage the tournament for philanthropic impact.
For Shakira, the performance marks her fourth World Cup musical appearance. She famously performed a version of “Hips Don’t Lie – Bamboo” in 2006, delivered the global smash “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” in 2010, and closed the 2014 tournament in Brazil with “La La La” at the Maracanã Stadium. Her 2010 anthem became one of the most successful World Cup songs of all time. Burna Boy, often called the “African Giant,” continues a wave of Nigerian representation at major football events following Davido’s appearance on the 2022 World Cup song “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)”.
Shakira’s World Cup involvement will not end at the opening ceremony. FIFA has confirmed she will co-headline the first-ever halftime show during the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Super Bowl-style production will also feature Madonna and South Korean supergroup BTS. The final ceremony will be part of a tournament that runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, spanning 104 matches across 16 venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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