From ‘Waka Waka’ to ‘Dai Dai’: Shakira’s Return to the Football Festival

May 27, Kathmandu – The grand football festival is set to return. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, kicking off on June 11 at Mexico’s Estadio Azteca, will gather billions of viewers worldwide in one place. For the first time in history, the tournament is being jointly hosted by three nations—the United States, Canada, and Mexico. At the heart of this football extravaganza is a familiar face, Colombian singer Shakira. She first gained global recognition 16 years ago with her song ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).’ Now, in 2026, she is once again stepping onto the world stage, performing a new song titled ‘Dai Dai’ alongside Nigerian superstar Burna Boy.

The 2010 World Cup was held in South Africa. FIFA desired a song that could unite audiences from every corner of the world in a single thread. At that time, Shakira was spending a vacation at her farm in Uruguay, overseas from South Africa. While returning home from the farm, she envisioned a new tune and began humming it with English lyrics. She then excitedly called Sony Music, saying, ‘I have just written the most amazing World Cup song ever.’

Despite the success of ‘Waka Waka,’ controversy followed. During South Africa’s hosting, many South Africans expressed discontent that the official song was performed by a Colombian artist rather than African musicians. However, the interesting fact is that Freshlyground did not feel insulted. Including Burna Boy as a collaborator this time seems to be a conscious and strategic decision. For the first time, FIFA is organizing a halftime show at the World Cup final and has selected three of the world’s biggest pop stars for this event.