What makes a memorable World Cup anthem? Is it a song that best reflects the host countries? Is it a global banger, incorporating multiple languages and genres? Or should it simply value a chant-along chorus above all?

There is an argument to make for each – or perhaps all. With the 2026 Fifa World Cup now upon us, performers behind World Cup songs past and present share their thoughts on the burning question. The list includes Shakira – who, alongside Afrobeats star Burna Boy, is responsible for the official 2026 Fifa World Cup song, “Dai Dai” – and newcomer Nora Fatehi.

Before “Dai Dai”, Colombian superstar Shakira co-wrote and performed “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” featuring Afro-fusion pop band Freshlyground, the official anthem of the 2010 Fifa World Cup held in South Africa.

“Fútbol is a thing that unites so many cultures and people of different walks of life,” Shakira says. “The big responsibility of making a World Cup song is that you’ve got to make a song that represents people’s feelings, emotions and passion.

“So you’ve got to write that song, in a way, understanding that it has to be global. It has to encompass so many cultures and represent so many in one tune. That, in a way, has helped me craft those songs in the past.”

Beyond those conceptual ideas, Shakira has some specific sonic suggestions as well.