Image Credit: Getty Images

Shakira and Burna Boy reunited at the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, performing the tournament’s official anthem, “Dai Dai,” during FIFA’s first-ever Super Bowl-style halftime show. It was a full-circle moment for the Colombian pop icon and the Nigerian Afrobeats superstar, who had first introduced the song to the world at the tournament’s opening ceremony in Mexico City just weeks earlier.

By the time the final arrived, Dai Dai had become the soundtrack of the tournament—echoing through stadiums, fan parks and highlight reels throughout the month. It became the first official World Cup anthem to top the ranking, which began in 2020. Their return to perform it one last time was less of a surprise appearance and more of a fitting send-off for a World Cup that placed entertainment at the centre of the spectacle.

Image Credit: Getty Images

The performance also marked a historic first. Unlike every previous FIFA World Cup final, the 2026 edition featured a dedicated halftime show inspired by the NFL’s Super Bowl. The 11-minute production transformed football’s biggest match into a crossover pop culture event, with appearances from Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Chris Martin, Gustavo Dudamel, the Muppets, alongside Burna Boy and Shakira.

Even before the match kicked off, FIFA leaned fully into the moment. EGOT-winning singer and actor Jennifer Hudson opened the evening with a stirring rendition of the United States national anthem, backed by a live band, setting the stage for one of the most ambitious entertainment productions the tournament has ever seen.

The football delivered its own drama, with Spain defeating Argentina to become world champions. But one of the defining images of the night came well before the final whistle: Burna Boy and Shakira standing side by side once again, performing the anthem that came to define the biggest World Cup in history.