With the FIFA World Cup 2026 getting closer, the music debate is back: what is the best World Cup song of all time?

According to Billboard, the conversation includes some huge names – from Ricky Martin’s “The Cup of Life” to Shakira and Burna Boy’s “Dai Dai”, with other familiar names like J.Lo, Will Smith, Il Divo and more also part of World Cup music history.

For many fans, Shakira’s “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” is still the one to beat. Released for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the song became more than just a tournament track – it became a global anthem that people still associate with football, celebration and pure World Cup energy.

But Shakira is not the only one in the conversation. Ricky Martin’s “The Cup of Life” brought major stadium energy to the 1998 World Cup, while Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte gave fans “We Are One (Ole Ola)” for the 2014 tournament. Nicky Jam, Will Smith and Era Istrefi also joined the list with “Live It Up” for the 2018 World Cup.

And now, Shakira is back in the World Cup music conversation again. Her latest World Cup track, “Dai Dai” with Burna Boy, was released as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup build-up, bringing together Latin and Afrobeats influences for a new generation of football fans.

So, is the best World Cup song Shakira’s “Waka Waka”? Is it Ricky Martin’s “The Cup of Life”? Maybe it is J.Lo and Pitbull’s “We Are One”, or even the new Shakira and Burna Boy track “Dai Dai”?

For Brunei fans, the countdown to World Cup season is also a good excuse to bring back those football anthems. Request your favourite World Cup song on KRISTALfm and let us know which one still gives you that match-day feeling.

Source: Billboard
Photo: Shakira / Instagram