Ayo, Shakira is pulling up to the biggest match on the planet – and she’s bringing Burna Boy with her.
The Colombian superstar confirmed on Instagram Saturday that she and the Afrobeats powerhouse will both be at the FIFA World Cup Final this Sunday, July 19. She kept the caption short and loud: “Getting ready for Sunday! @burnaboygram See you at the @fifaworldcup Final! Dai dai, ikó, dale, allez, let’s go.”
That’s Italian, Yoruba, Spanish, and French in one sentence. Real ones know that’s deliberate.
The post cleared 1.5 million likes. That tracks for two artists with fans on every continent.
Shakira doesn’t need an introduction at a World Cup. She performed “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” the official 2010 FIFA anthem, at the closing ceremony in South Africa. That song still gets blasted in stadiums 16 years later. It became one of the best-selling World Cup songs of all time. Few musicians have hit that level of global recognition from a single event. And she’s only gotten bigger since. Her 2023 collaboration with Bizarrap broke Spanish-language streaming records and reminded everyone that she operates at her own level.
The connection runs deeper than music. Shakira dated Spanish defender Gerard Piqué for over a decade before their 2022 split. She’s had front-row access to top-level football for years. She knows the culture from the inside.
Burna Boy brings his own energy to this. The Port Harcourt-born Grammy winner has spent the last few years building one of the most impressive global followings in music. He’s sold out arenas on multiple continents. His Afrofusion sound travels. That makes him a natural fit for an event this size. He won Best Global Music Album at the 2021 Grammys for “Twice as Tall” and hasn’t slowed down since.
The multilingual send-off in that caption is the detail getting people excited. “Dai dai” is Italian encouragement. “Ikó” is Yoruba, connecting directly to Burna Boy’s Nigerian roots. “Dale” is the Spanish rally cry Shakira has been using her whole career. “Allez” is French. Four languages, one line, no wasted words.
Neither artist has confirmed a performance role at the Final. They might be attending as guests. FIFA hasn’t announced any pre-match or halftime entertainment yet. That could change by Sunday. But Shakira at a World Cup tends to find a microphone nearby.
Fan reactions are exactly what you’d expect. Spanish-speaking followers hit the comments with flags and fire emojis. Nigerian and West African fans started tagging Burna Boy asking about a potential collab. Someone always asks that. And at this point, the question makes sense.
The 2026 World Cup runs across the United States, Canada, and Mexico – the biggest tri-host edition in the competition’s history. The Final is Sunday. Two of the most globally recognized artists alive will be in the building.
That’s a moment.
