Soccer
Burna Boy and Shakira. Copyright: Imago
Colombian pop star Shakira opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a performance at the Mexico City Stadium ahead of the tournament’s kick-off fixture between El Tri and Bafana Bafana of South Africa, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 49-year-old performed “Dai Dai,” the official anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside Nigerian afrobeats artist Burna Boy. The original song was officially released a month ago.
The song translates to ‘Come on, Come on’ in English, and was written by Shakira and Burna Boy together with Benny Adam, Jon Bellion, Ed Sheeran and Alexander Castillo, who produced the song with Gerard Piqué’s ex-girlfriend.
Get Our Sports News First – Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!
The song was written in five languages: English, Spanish, Italian, French and Japanese
Soccer Shakira and Burna Boy perform Dai Dai in FIFA World Cup opener
Shakira and the choreographers put up a performance in white fits, layered with yellow hand and waistbands, a reminder of her Colombian heritage. Burna Boy, meanwhile, was clothed in jeans. You can watch the performance here.
Burna Boy & Shakira performing the Greatest World Cup song “Dai Dai” live in Mexico 🇲🇽 at the opening ceremony of the fifa World Cup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/LqZ0POQjrO
— ThatOjoBoy (@ThatOjoBoy) June 11, 2026
Andrea Bocelli and Ejae, ahead of the opening match, also performed ‘DNA’. David Guetta and Megan Thee Stallion featured on the song, but were not in attendance at the Mexico City Stadium.
Tyla also led the South African team in singing their national anthem, while Elias Mejia Avante, Fher Olvera and Danny Ocean also performed during the Opening Ceremony.
Toronto will also host an opening ceremony tomorrow, ahead of Canada’s first-ever home World Cup match, with a “cultural mosaic” theme.
Los Angeles will complete the trio of the ceremonies later tomorrow, before the United States play against Paraguay.
Adefolahan Guerreiro
Adefolahan is a multilingual CAF-Accredited sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz.
With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
His portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.
A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he’s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.
Read MoreAdefolahan Guerreiro