Shakira drops 'Dai Dai' for FIFA World Cup: Fans can't stop running it back
Shakira’s new World Cup anthem 'Dai Dai' is already looping across fan playlists
Dubai: Shakira’s latest World Cup anthem Dai Dai has officially dropped and it is the official anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
It dropped on 15 May after days of teasing across social media and instantly did what Shakira World Cup songs tend to do; take over football edits and group chats that suddenly think they’re football analysts.
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A return to the World Cup stage
This marks Shakira’s return to football’s biggest musical stage more than a decade after her 2010 anthem Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), one of the most recognisable World Cup songs in history.
According to multiple reports, Dai Dai continues her long-running association with FIFA tournaments, following earlier appearances in 2006 and 2014 ceremonies as well. This time, she’s not alone. The track is a collaboration with Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy.
Dai Dai feels like it was made for movement more than anything else. It’s fun, bouncy, and built to make you move without thinking too hard. Shakira brings that familiar catchy energy she always does, while Burna Boy adds a groove that keeps it grounded.
Lyrically, the tone is classic World Cup Shakira: motivational, global, and slightly poetic without overcomplicating things. Lines lean into resilience and unity, very 'you’ve been knocked down but you’re still in the game' energy, which is basically her signature at this point.
Early reactions show that Dai Dai has 'enough moments for a World Cup' with fans pointing out that it delivers clear upbeat sections that feel tailor-made for edits, highlight reels, and stadium transitions.
Burna Boy’s contribution is getting consistent praise from listeners, with fans saying he 'did well' and that his presence adds weight to the collaboration rather than feeling like a feature tacked on.
The most repeated comparison, unsurprisingly, is to Shakira’s previous World Cup legacy.
Fans are very clear about one thing: 'Dai Dai' doesn’t reach the same iconic peak as her earlier World Cup anthems, especially Waka Waka. But importantly, many also add that it 'doesn’t need to' it still works within the moment it’s trying to create.
On the more enthusiastic end of reactions, some fans cannot get enough of the song, with one fan sharing that they 'never thought a World Cup song could ever be on repeat' but this one apparently is.
