The History of FIFA World Cup Songs: From Novelty Records to Global Anthems

por Wosti -

The FIFA World Cup has never been just a football tournament. Since the 1960s, it has also carried its own soundtrack, a string of songs released alongside each tournament that captures the sound of global pop at that exact moment. Fans now follow the buildup to a tournament through everything from official song reveals to World Cup 2026 betting markets, but the anthem tradition itself began almost by accident and has grown into one of the most closely watched marketing moments in music. 

Origins, 1962 to 1986 

The earliest World Cup song usually cited is "El Rock del Mundial" by the Chilean band Los Ramblers, released for the 1962 finals in Chile. It was not commissioned by FIFA in the way modern anthems are, it was simply a tournament-themed record that caught on locally.  

England followed at its own 1966 finals with "World Cup Willie," performed by skiffle star Lonnie Donegan and named after the tournament mascot, a lion in a Union Jack shirt.  

Mexico's 1970 finals produced "Futbol Mexico 70" by various Mexican artists, and West Germany's own national squad recorded "Fussball ist unser Leben" with Maryla Rodowicz ahead of the 1974 tournament on home soil. 

Through the Argentina 1978, Spain 1982, and Mexico 1986 finals, songs continued to appear around each event, including Ennio Morricone's orchestral "El Mundial" and a Placido Domingo recording for Spain, though none of these were formally confirmed as an official song in the way FIFA labels them today. 

In this era, World Cup music existed as tournament identifiers and national pride pieces, driven by host broadcasters, record labels, and football federations rather than a coordinated FIFA campaign. 

1990, the modern anthem is born 

That changed at Italia 90. "Un'estate italiana," performed by Edoardo Bennato and Gianna Nannini and released internationally as "To Be Number One," was billed as the tournament's Official Song. It set the template later anthems would follow: a stadium-sized chorus, a multi-language release, and a performance tied to the closing ceremony. 

USA 94 continued the pattern with "Gloryland" by Daryl Hall and Sounds of Blackness as the official theme song. 

1998 onward, global pop stars take over 

France 98 marked a turning point when FIFA and Sony Music paired with Ricky Martin for "La Copa de la Vida," a Latin pop record that became a genuine global hit and is widely credited with helping launch Martin's international career. 

From here, each World Cup carried a dedicated official song, and often a separate official anthem too. Korea and Japan 2002 had both "Boom" by Anastacia as the official song and an instrumental "Anthem" composed by Vangelis. Germany 2006 brought "The Time of Our Lives" by Il Divo and Toni Braxton. 

South Africa 2010 gave the tournament the iconic "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" by Shakira featuring Freshlyground, one of the most recognised songs in the series. That same year Coca-Cola, a FIFA sponsor rather than FIFA itself, ran its own campaign built around "Wavin' Flag (Celebration Mix)" by K'naan. It was never the official tournament song, but it was so heavily promoted that many fans still remember it as one. 

Brazil 2014 introduced a three artist collaboration with "We Are One (Ole Ola)" by Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, and Claudia Leitte. Russia 2018 followed with "Live It Up" by Nicky Jam, Will Smith and Era Istrefi as the official song, while Coca-Cola again released its own separate promotional track, "Colors" by Jason Derulo, marketed explicitly as the "Coca-Cola Anthem for the 2018 FIFA World Cup" rather than as part of FIFA's official release. 

Qatar 2022 and the album era 

Qatar 2022 expanded the format further, releasing "Hayya Hayya (Better Together)" by Trinidad Cardona, Davido, and Aisha as part of a full official soundtrack, alongside a separate instrumental Official Theme composed by Zachary Aaron Golden. 

2026, two official tracks 

The 2026 finals across Canada, Mexico, and the United States have followed that same expanded approach. FIFA released several official songs at first, including “Por Ella” by Los Angeles Azules and Belinda, and “Lighter” by Jelly Roll and Carin Leon. Then, "Dai Dai" by Shakira and Burna Boy became the tournament's Official Song on 15 May 2026, which was followed by "DNA (More Than a Game)," performed by Andrea Bocelli, David Guetta, Megan Thee Stallion, EJAE, and Jon Bellion, as the Official Anthem on 10 June 2026. 

Both sit alongside a wider Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album consisting of 18 songs, continuing the multi-track format FIFA established with Qatar 2022. 

Over sixty years, the World Cup song has moved from local novelty records tied to host nations into a globally coordinated pop release involving major labels and international stars, a shift that mirrors how the tournament itself grew from a regional football competition into the world's biggest sporting event.