Get Ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup With This Playlist
Soccer lovers know there’s no shortage of songs about their favorite sport.
British punk rockers The Fall voiced their gripes about the the game on the 1983 track “Kicker Conspiracy.” Shakira and guest rapper Burma Boy performed this year’s official FIFA World Cup anthem “Dai Dai.” And then there’s stadium singalongs, whether fans are stomping their feet to the White Stripes’ pounding “Seven Nation Army” or singing along on those infectious “woo-hoos” on Blur’s zippy “Song 2.”
Soccer and music have gone hand-in-hand for decades, and this year’s 2026 FIFA World Cup is no exception. Here’s a playlist to get pumped up for the tournament, which officially kicks off June 11.
Follow along for live coverage of the World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico City.
1. “Dai Dai,” by Shakira featuring Burna Boy
Why not start with the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Featuring the Queen of the World Cup herself, Shakira, and guest rapper Burna Boy, the title of this track translates to, “Let’s go,” in Italian. Both artists will perform at the event’s first opening ceremony in Mexico City on June 11.
2. “The Cup of Life” by Ricky Martin
Martin’s horn-drenched “The Cup of Life” was a FIFA anthem in 1998, and it still gets the party started today.
3. “Goalkeeper” by Animal Collective
The legendary indie rock band from Baltimore focuses on the burdens of a struggling “goalie” on this 2017 song with its bittersweet lyrics lamenting, “That ball was lost and he stood by.”
4. “Live It Up” by Nicky Jam featuring Will Smith & Era Istrefi
Produced by Diplo, this official 2018 World Cup song features two Americans and a Russian blending rap, pop and reggaeton to get fans dancing in their seats.
5. “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes
Stadium crowds go crazy for Jack and Meg White’s foot-stomping 2003 hit with its burn-it-all-down lyrics about fighting off enemies.
6. “God’s Footballer” by Billy Bragg
This poignant 1991 ballad by British folksinger Bragg was inspired by Peter Knowles, a star player for the Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 1960s who quit the sport to become a Jehovah’s Witness.
7. “Touchline” by Rod Stewart
Raise a pint and listen to another downbeat number, Stewart’s touching 1991 tribute to his “Scotsman” father, who shared his “infectious” love of soccer with his kids.
8. “Wavin’ Flag” by K’naan
The Somali-Canadian artist K’naan’s “Wavin’ Flag” became a surprise global hit after Coca-Cola used it in a promotional anthem for the 2010 World Cup.
9. “We Are One (Ole Ola)” by Pitbull featuring Jennifer Lopez & Claudia Leitte
A tantalizing hodgepodge of Afro-Caribbean beats and samba melodies, “We Are One (Ole Ola)” was the official anthem of the 2014 World Cup.
10. “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” by Shakira
Shakira delivered this danceable 2010 World Cup song with a video chock full of the world’s best-loved soccer stars.
11. “Kicker Conspiracy” by The Fall
Leave it to Brit punk rockers The Fall get political on this 1983 track that finds singer Mark E. Smith, a champion of the working class, lamenting how the wealthy had come to embrace his favorite sport.
12. “World in Motion” by New Order
Legendarily dour British post-punk band New Order shocked fans when it collaborated with England’s national men’s team to release this cheerful song — which features a goofy rap by British soccer star John Barnes — for the 1990 World Cup.
13. “Ole Ole Ole (The Name of The Game)” by The Fans
What soccer fan hasn’t sung along to this peppy stadium favorite released way back in 1987?
14. “Song 2” by Blur
Yep, we’re tossing this one on the playlist because those “woo-hoos” are super fun.
15. “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC
The Aussie hard rockers’ pounding 1990 track has been a stadium staple — and one of the USMNT’s favorite hype songs — for decades.
16. “World Cup Fever” by Air Miami
Washington DC-based indie rock band Air Miami raised a toast to the World Cup in this kooky dance-pop song in 1995.
17. “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” by Queen
These oft-paired Queen classics from 1977, which feature no shortage of bravado-filled lyrics, get sports fans clapping and pounding their feet.
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