Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema delivered a standout performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, joining Lisa and Anitta for the first-ever live rendition of their collaborative track, “Goals.”
The high-energy spectacle took place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday night, officially launching the tournament in the United States.
Bringing together Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the trio fused Afrobeats, K-pop, and Latin pop into a vibrant global performance that captured the spirit of unity and celebration associated with the World Cup.
Rema appeared on stage in a striking white hooded outfit, sharing the spotlight seamlessly with Lisa and Anitta as fans witnessed the live debut of “Goals.”
The track, released in May as part of the official FIFA World Cup 2026 soundtrack, was produced by Grammy-winning producer Cirkut alongside Bava and Pink Slip.
The performance adds another major milestone to Rema’s growing list of global appearances, including the Ballon d’Or Awards (2023), NBA All-Star Game (2023), BRIT Awards (2024), and now the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony (2026).
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
