Sport

MEXICO CITY — June 11, 2027— By Prosper Mene

You could feel it before the lights even dimmed. Eighty-seven thousand people in Estadio Azteca, plus millions watching from living rooms across 200 countries, all waiting for that first beat. Then Shakira’s voice cut through the night, and suddenly Burna Boy was rising out of the pitch on a platform shaped like the World Cup trophy. By the time they hit the chorus of “Dai Dai”, nobody was sitting down.

Thursday night’s FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony wasn’t just a show. It was a statement. For the first time, the tournament is being shared by three countries — Mexico, the US, and Canada. But Mexico City got the honor of starting it, and FIFA wanted something that felt bigger than football. They got it.

“Come, Come” — And The World Did

“Dai Dai” isn’t a song you’ve heard before. That’s because it was written specifically for this night. The title means “come, come”, like an invitation. And that’s exactly what Shakira and Burna Boy did for 5 minutes — invited the world to the dance floor.

Shakira walked out first, all metallic fringe and Colombian yellow, doing the hip rolls that made her famous 20 years ago. She started alone, her voice over a soft cumbia rhythm. Then the drums kicked in. Hard. And from a trapdoor in the center of the pitch, Burna Boy appeared.

He was wearing green and gold, designed by Lagos brand Orange Culture, and he didn’t walk. He moved like the song owned him. Switching between English, Spanish, and Yoruba, he traded verses with Shakira while 200 dancers — half from Mexico, half from Nigeria — filled the field behind them.

About halfway through, a 100-person drumline rolled in from the tunnels. Some were from Mexico City, some flew in from Lagos, some from Toronto. FIFA said they wanted “the heartbeat of the three host nations.” Mission accomplished. The drums were so loud you could feel them in your chest, even through a TV screen.

Two Legends, One Stage

There’s history here. Shakira was the face of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with “Waka Waka”. That song is still played in taxis, bars, and stadiums today. Burna Boy made his own history in Qatar 2022, becoming the first African artist to perform at a World Cup opening ceremony.

So putting them together for 2026 felt inevitable, but also risky. Two massive stars, two massive sounds, one stage. It worked because they weren’t trying to outshine each other. Shakira let Burna own the Afrobeat sections. Burna stepped back and let Shakira glide through the Latin parts. At one point they were back-to-back, singing the chorus in Spanish and Yoruba at the same time. The crowd lost it.

Backstage, Burna told FIFA TV he was nervous right up until he stepped out. “It’s the World Cup, you know? But then I remembered — this is for everybody watching. So Dai. Come. Let’s do this together.”

Shakira was grinning when cameras caught her after the performance. “I’ve done this before, but never like this,” she said. “With Burna, it feels new. It feels like we’re calling the next generation.”

More Than Just Music

FIFA didn’t stop at the song. The 22-minute ceremony had everything: The Weeknd floating above the crowd on a platform, Maná playing guitar riffs from the stands, and a children’s choir with kids from all 48 countries that qualified this year.

They even brought out an AR version of Diego Maradona. For a few seconds it looked like he was passing the ball to Lionel Messi on the pitch. Azteca erupted — this is the same stadium where Maradona played his last World Cup game in 1986. You could see grown men wiping their eyes.

But “Dai Dai” was the moment everyone will remember. On X, the hashtag was trending worldwide before Shakira finished the first verse. On TikTok, clips of Burna’s entrance got 50 million views before the opening match between Mexico and Morocco even started.

Fans online weren’t holding back: “Shakira + Burna is the collab I didn’t know I needed,” one post read. Another said: “FIFA finally got an opening song right. Dai is already stuck in my head.”

The full version of “Dai Dai” and its music video drop Friday. FIFA filmed it in three cities — Mexico City, Lagos, and Vancouver — to match the three host nations. Early reports say streaming platforms saw a 300% jump in searches for both artists during the show.

For Burna, this cements what fans already know: he’s not just Afrobeats’ biggest star, he’s one of the biggest stars, period. For Shakira, it’s a return to the World Cup stage 16 years later, but with a different energy. Less pop princess, more global elder.

When the fireworks faded and the first whistle blew for Mexico vs. Morocco, “Dai Dai” was still playing in people’s heads. That’s the point of a World Cup song. It’s supposed to stick. It’s supposed to make you want to move, to sing along, to feel like you’re part of something.

And on Thursday night in Mexico City, Shakira and Burna Boy made sure everyone felt invited.

Dai Dai. Come, come. The World Cup has begun.