Even without the Nigeria national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Nigeria will still have a powerful presence at football’s biggest event through its music.
Global superstar Shakira recently shared a preview of the official song for the tournament, confirming Burna Boy as one of the featured collaborators on the track titled “Dai Dai”, scheduled for release on Thursday, May 8.
The announcement marks another major moment for Nigerian music on the global sporting stage and further underlines how Afrobeats has become deeply woven into football culture worldwide.
Burna Boy performed at the Lionesses Victory Parade with Sarina Weigman and the players.
For Burna Boy, it is another addition to a growing sporting portfolio that already includes performances at the UEFA Champions League final kick-off show, the NBA All-Star Game and celebrations for the England women’s national football team following their UEFA Women’s Euro triumph.
Yet beyond Burna Boy himself, the collaboration also reflects a wider trend: Nigerian artistes increasingly becoming part of football’s biggest global moments.
READMORE: Oshoala fires into Saudi history books with African record-breaking hat-trick for Al Hilal
Ironically, this rise has continued even during periods when Nigerian football has struggled to consistently qualify for major tournaments.
The Super Eagles’ failure to reach the 2026 World Cup meant Nigeria missed not only football’s grandest stage but also the enormous financial rewards attached to qualification. FIFA’s expanded tournament in United States, Canada and Mexico is expected to become the richest in history, with participating nations set to share around $871 million in prize money.
FIFA World cup Trophy. Photocredit: Imago
Each qualified country is expected to receive at least $11.4 million simply for participating, funds that could have significantly benefited Nigerian football development and infrastructure.
Still, while Nigeria’s football teams have missed recent World Cups, Nigerian music continues to command a place inside the global football conversation.
Recall that before Burna Boy’s latest FIFA collaboration, several Nigerian artistes had already graced football and sports’ biggest stages.
Davido
Davido became one of the first Nigerian artistes to feature prominently on an official FIFA World Cup soundtrack after collaborating with Trinidad Cardona and Aisha on “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)” for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Despite Nigeria failing to qualify for that tournament, Davido’s appearance ensured Afrobeats remained visible throughout FIFA’s entertainment programme, with the singer also performing during the closing ceremony.
Yemi Alade
Yemi Alade also took centre stage during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, performing ‘Akwaba’, the tournament’s official anthem alongside Magic System and Mohamed Ramadan.
Rema performing CALM DOWN at ballon d’or ceremony 2023 Photocredit: Getty Images
At the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony, Rema became one of the few African artistes to perform at football’s most prestigious individual awards event, further reflecting Afrobeats’ growing influence within elite football spaces.
Kiss Daniel -Afrobeat singe. Photocredit: VEVO
Kizz Daniel was another Nigerian act heavily involved during Qatar 2022, performing at FIFA Fan Festival events where his global hit ‘Buga’ became one of the tournament’s defining fan songs.
Long before the recent Afrobeats explosion, D’banj had already established a Nigerian presence at major football events after performing during the closing ceremony of the 2013 AFCON in South Africa, the same night Nigeria lifted the continental title.
Tems performing at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in USA. Photocredit: Getty Images
Meanwhile, Tems has also continued the crossover between Nigerian music and elite sport through performances linked to FIFA Club World Cup activities and other international sporting showcases.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN ATHLETIC NG WHATSAPP CHANNEL NOW!
Together, those appearances highlight how Nigerian music has steadily evolved into one of the country’s strongest global exports, often succeeding on stages where its football teams have struggled to remain consistently present.
For Burna Boy, teaming up with Shakira on FIFA’s newest global soundtrack is therefore bigger than another collaboration. It is the latest chapter in Nigeria’s growing cultural dominance on football’s grandest stages.
