New World Cup Songs Are Dropping, Let’s Talk About Them
The arrival of the FIFA World Cup season has brought an influx of new music, and collaborations between unexpected artists, from Shakira and Burna Boy, to Tyla and Future, and Rema and Korean pop star, Lisa, the collaborative choices have been unexpected, and yet exciting because they were, for the most part, an unpredictable feature.
While these songs have not attained the level of success Shakira’s “Waka Waka,” reached, the decision of FIFA to include African artists in the global musical conversations has us convinced that African artists are the next global phenomenon.
Here’s what we think about the songs that have come out, how well they’ve done and the possible impact they’ll have on the globalisation of African music.
- LISA, Anitta and Rema (Goals)
Released on the 21st of May, 2026, the collaboration between these three artists—a Thai singer who is also a Kpop icon, a Nigerian superstar and a Brazilian singer—can be viewed as a cultural reset. The song is a cross-cultural collaboration that blends Latin pop, K-pop, and Afrobeats influences, pushing forward the notion that these sounds can intersect. Currently at 9 million streams, the song has received a great reception from fans of these artists, but most importantly for Afrobeats, it has opened the genre to a new audience.
- Shakira and Burna Boy (Dai Dai)
Shakira is known as a queen of World Cup music due to the success of “Waka Waka,” and although it was over a decade ago is still beloved by many as one of the best songs from the FIFA World Cup. A collaboration of Shakira with Burna Boy, one of the greatest artists out of Africa and one of the most successful Afrobeats stars is a power move by the football association. The duo not only infused their culture into the collaboration, it served as a boost for both African and Latin music, which both artists represent globally. The song is currently at over 24 million streams, since being released on the 15th of May.
- Tyla And Future (Game Time)
The latest release for the FIFA World Cup is a collaboration between South African pop star, Tyla and African American rapper, Future titled “Game Time.” The song is a unique mix of Afrobeats and Hip Hop, though African and African American artists have collaborated often, this is the first collaboration between South African singer Tyla and Future. Released on the 29th of May, the song has amassed almost 2 million streams in just a few days after its release. It is the seventh song released from the FIFA World Cup.
Why Are African Artists Being Considered For The FIFA World Cup?
African artists have attained a level of global recognition and success in the last few years, and as is evident with the collaborations, these artists have a strong presence. While African music continues to grow, there are certain parts of the world that do not have a significant amount of African listeners that could benefit from listening to an African artist on a track recorded for worldwide consumption.
What do we think?
The infusion of African music into global phenomenons like the World Cup can only be a positive sign for African music. It implies that African artists have been properly integrated into society as an integral part of pop-culture. For the upcoming generation of African artists, this will be a path paved for them to walk on.
