Sunday, 19 Jul 2026

From Shakira to Will Smith: The ten finest World Cup songs, ranked

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19 Jul 2026 08:00
Celebs 0 12
5 minutes reading



Whereas everyone seems to be understandably focussed on the soccer itself on the World Cup, the event has additionally seen some large songs launched through the years.

There have been some large names through the years, together with Ricky Martin of ‘Livin’ La Vida Locafame, no not the Shrek 2 model, in addition to Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez, and Will Smith.

Shakira has returned for the World Cup music of 2026, having beforehand written the official music for 2010 with the vastly profitable ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’.

The World Cup has seen some iconic musical moments through the years, and an honourable point out has to go to the Three Tenors Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, and Luciano Pavarotti with their astonishing rendition of the aria Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s opera Turandot in 1990.

We have ranked our prime 10 FIFA World Cup anthems, and as music is very subjective we have passed by the variety of streams on Spotify, with one exception.

Honourable point out to the Three Tenors in 1990, although this wasn’t an official music (Franco Origlia/Getty Photos)

Growth – Anastacia, 2002

We’re beginning off in 2002, when the World Cup was held in Japan and South Korea.

Anastacia’s music was referred to as the event’s ‘official music’, whereas the ‘official anthem’ was referred to as Anthem by Vangelis.

It has notched up 348,454 performs on Spotify since its launch.

Gloryland, Daryl Corridor and Sounds of Blackness, 1994

This was one other time that the US hosted the World Cup again in 1994, with that 12 months’s anthem being primarily based on a hymn.

It additionally featured accompaniment from the ensemble Sounds of Blackness, and options gospel choirs, synths, and saxophones in an enormous, showy tune.

The complete music doesn’t look like on Spotify, however the ‘official model’ on YouTube has 561,000 views.

The Time of Our Lives – Il Divo & Toni Braxton, 2006

Transferring into the tens of millions of streams now, this can be a gradual ballad fashion music, that includes a lot of singing about desires of glory.

Zeit dass sich was dreht (Have a good time The Day) by Herbert Grönemeyer that includes Amadou & Mariam was the official anthem in 2006.

As for The Time of Our Lives, this had some 5,478,968 streams on the time of writing.

Ricky Martin performing on the 1998 World Cup (GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP through Getty Photos)

Un’property italiana (To Be Quantity One) – Edoardo Bennato & Gianna Nannini, 1990

With the title which means ‘An Italian Summer time’, this was the official music for 1990, and even climbed to primary within the Italian charts that 12 months.

It is also bought some 59,114,850 streams on Spotify, taking us into the tens of tens of millions in dramatic fashion.

However regardless of this Un’Property italiana wouldn’t go on to be remembered because the the defining music of the 1990 World Cup, as that might be taken by Luciano Pavarotti and the Three Tenors’ iconic rendition of Nessun Dorma on the eve of the ultimate in Rome, which is credited with opening up opera and classical music to a wider viewers.

Cup of Life (La Copa de la Vida) – Ricky Martin, 1998

The Livin’ La Vida Loca star was driving excessive on the success of his hit when he wrote La Copa de la Vida for the event in 1998.

This music may be a bit decrease down this record, however the Latin-style beats are reflective of later World Cup songs.

As for the variety of streams that it is had, it clocks in at 60,704,295.

Hayya Hayya (Higher Collectively), Trinidad Cardona, Davido & Aisha, 2022

Transferring into the highest 5 now and we’ve Hayya Hayya (Higher Collectively), with a title that quotes the Arabic exhortation ‘hayya’ which means ‘let’s go!’ in a nod to the host nation Qatar.

Argentina went all the way in which to change into the champions in Qatar in 2022.

The music has notched up some 65,044,492 streams on Spotify, placing it in third place.

Shakira has not one however two entries on this record (Stuart Franklin/Getty Photos)

Reside It Up – Nicky Jam, Will Smith & Period Istrefi, 2018

The 2018 World Cup controversially came about in Russia, with France rising because the victors that 12 months, marking their second World Cup win.

And sure, that’s the Will Smith credited on the music, with the Hollywood superstar credited for vocals and composition.

On Spotify the music strikes into greater than 100 million, with 171,172,906 streams.

Dai Dai – Shakira & Burna Boy, 2026

This 12 months’s official music has rocketed up into the highest three on streams, with 188,952,736 streams on Spotify.

Shakira and Burna Boy took to the stage in each the inauguration and the halftime present on the closing, the primary time a FIFA event had a Tremendous Bowl fashion halftime present.

And as we’ll see, it is not Shakira’s solely entry on this record.

Ole Ola (We Are One) – Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez & Claudia Leitte, 2014

Brazil hosted the World Cup in 2014, with the music that includes some carvinal-esque themes, although some Brazilians criticised it for not feeling Brazilian sufficient.

Germany would go on to say victory in 2014, beating Argentina within the closing.

As for the official music, it is completed one thing proper because it has 464,022,044 Spotify streams on the time of writing.

Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) – Shakira & Freshlyground, 2010

If anybody might be referred to as the queen of the World Cup songs, it needs to be Shakira.

Not solely does the Colombian artist have two of the highest three most streamed World Cup songs, however the prime spot Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) for the South Africa-hosted 2010 event has a large variety of Spotify streams.

In face, it managed to get greater than a billion stream, sure billion with a B, with a complete of 1,115,518,929.

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