Why 'Waka Waka' still matters as Shakira prepares new FIFA World Cup anthem
Colombian singer Shakira performs during a free concert at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 2, 2026.
Image: Pablo Porciuncula / AFP
Colombian pop idol Shakira will once again be singing the official FIFA World Cup song. On Thursday, the star teased the anthem in a social media post. The song “Dai Dai” is a collaboration with Nigerian star Burna Boy.
The singer created the 2010 World Cup anthem "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" featuring South African group Freshlyground, which went on to be super successful.
Released 15 years ago on YouTube, the official music video has 4.5billion views, making it among the most-watched videos in history, surpassed 1 billion Spotify streams.
"Waka Waka" was inspired by the 1986 Cameroonian song "Zangaléwa". The song went on to become one of the most recognisable World Cup songs of all time. The song even set a Guinness World Record for the most-streamed FIFA World Cup song.
The catchy chorus, “Tsamina mina, eh, eh / Waka waka, eh, eh / Tsamina mina zangalewa / This time for Africa,” is known by millions, even the younger generation. The song is also commonly used on social media platforms like TikTok.
Shakira performed “Waka Waka” plus a medley that included “She Wolf” and “Hips Don’t Lie” during the 2010 World Cup opening ceremony.
Shakira made her World Cup debut in 2006, performing 'Hips Don’t Lie' during the closing ceremony in Germany. And after South Africa, Shakira returned to the soccer world in 2014 for the World Cup in Brazil, for which she released “La La La,” featuring Carlinhos Brown.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup official song "Dai Dai" will be released on May 14, 2026.
IOL