The story of Shakira becoming the ‘face of music’ at the World Cup

One of the biggest names in world music is Colombian singer, songwriter and dancer Shakira. For more than three decades, she has taken Latin music to the global stage. However, one of the biggest identities of her career is her close relationship with the FIFA World Cup and all the memorable theme songs.

How Shakira started with the World Cup

Shakira’s World Cup connection began in 2010, with the FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. The official song of that tournament was ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’, which she sang with the South African band Freshly Ground.

This song was not only the theme song of the World Cup, it became one of the most successful sports anthems in history. Shakira’s performances at the stadium’s opening and closing ceremonies made her a permanent symbol of the World Cup.

The song's popularity was so huge that it sold millions of copies and topped the charts around the world.

Shakira's World Cup connection is not limited to just one song. She was involved in multiple tournaments—

2006 World Cup (Germany)
Shakira performed at the World Cup final ceremony (there was no theme song, but her presence was important). It is from this time that her presence on the World Cup stage began.

2010 World Cup (South Africa)
Official song: 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)'. It is considered the most successful World Cup song.

2014 World Cup (Brazil)
Official song: 'La La La'. This is her second official song for the World Cup.

2018 World Cup (Russia)

Although not an official song, Shakira was involved in the opening/promotional performance.

That is, Shakira had a direct major role in at least 3 World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014) and 2 of the official World Cup songs came from her voice.

Shakira has turned World Cup music into a global cultural language, not just entertainment. Her songs contain a message of world unity, a mix of African and Latin rhythms, and the excitement and passion of sports. It is worth noting that “Waka Waka” is still one of the best-selling and most-watched songs in World Cup history.

Shakira’s journey and rise in the music world

Shakira was born in Barranquilla, Colombia in 1977. Her full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll. She was interested in writing poetry and composing songs from an early age and started working. However, the beginning was difficult, and her first two albums were not very successful commercially. But she did not give up.

In 1995, her album ‘Pies Descalzos’ made her a superstar in Latin America. Then the song ‘Whenever, Wherever’ (2001) introduced her to the world market. Then ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ (2006) became one of her biggest international hits. Since then, Shakira has firmly established Latin music in mainstream pop culture.

Shakira's current status

Today, Shakira is not just a singer—she is a global icon. She has also been in the news again with new songs and performances around the 2026 World Cup, which is further strengthening her World Cup journey. Shakira's most talked-about song for the upcoming World Cup is "Dai Dai", which she sang with Nigerian artist Burna Boy and was released as the official theme song for the tournament.

This song is mainly composed of Afro-beats and Latin pop, so that the World Cup's theme of "global unity" emerges. The song contains football madness, the names of different countries, and a festival-like energy, which creates the atmosphere and frenzy of the stadium.

Shakira's story is not just a story of musical success—it is the story of an artist making her place on the world stage. His association with the World Cup has given him a distinct identity as the 'tone of football'.