Shakira and Burna Boy light up first World Cup final half-time show with ‘Dai Dai’

A record-smashing performance of ‘Dai Dai’ by Shakira and Burna Boy has been hailed as the defining moment of the first-ever half-time show at a men’s FIFA World Cup final, staged at the 2026 decider in New York New Jersey Stadium.

The Colombia–Nigeria collaboration turned the interval of Spain’s clash with Argentina on 19 July into a global pop spectacle, with the official tournament anthem already having surpassed 800 million streams before kick-off.

The 11-minute show – curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin – marked the first time a men’s World Cup final has featured a full-scale, Super Bowl-style half-time production, created in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. More than $50m (£39m) had been pledged via ticket-linked contributions before the performance began.

‘Queen of World Cup anthems’ returns

The loudest roar of the night came as Shakira took centre stage, barefoot, in a shredded pink-and-yellow dress, reinforcing a World Cup legacy that began with “Waka Waka” at South Africa 2010.

Her trademark hip movements and sharp chest pops drew instant recognition from the 80,000-plus crowd, while children dancing around her added a note of innocence to the high-tech show.

Shakira, who sits on the board of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, has long aligned her music career with education campaigns in Latin America and beyond.

“Music is the universal language,” she had said in the build-up – a message organisers were keen to echo in a tournament hosted across three nations: the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Burna Boy brings Afrobeats power

The mood shifted again as Burna Boy – one of Afrobeats’ biggest global stars – strode onto the pitch with his trademark swagger.

The Nigerian singer, who has repeatedly spoken about using his success to showcase African creativity, described the occasion as both “a privilege and responsibility”, underlining the World Cup’s reach as a global gathering.

Side by side, Shakira and Burna Boy launched into “Dai Dai”, the anthem released earlier in 2026 which had become the soundtrack of the expanded 48-team tournament.

Its chorus – “Dai dai iko, Dale ale lets go!” – had been heard before all 104 matches, turning venues from Mexico City to Vancouver into synchronised mass dance floors.

A show of colour, culture and charity

The half-time production unfolded on a multi-coloured stage, with dancers in vivid costumes swirling around the two lead performers, while flags from around the world waved in the stands.

Organisers positioned the show as both entertainment and advocacy, with proceeds going towards projects that expand children’s access to schooling and football facilities around the globe.

Shakira’s Latin pop and Burna Boy’s Afrobeats grooves were deliberately fused to echo the World Cup’s official theme of unity across borders. For many analysts and fans, their chemistry delivered the emotional peak of the evening.

Star-studded cast, mixed reviews

The Shakira–Burna Boy segment formed the centrepiece of a wider 11-minute medley that also featured Madonna, BTS and Justin Bieber, with a comic cameo from the Ted Lasso character, before a closing sequence with the PS22 Chorus, members of Coldplay, conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Muppets.

Some critics questioned the pace and density of the line-up, describing the rapid succession of acts as chaotic. However, there was broad agreement that the “Dai Dai” performance provided coherence and a clear narrative thread amid the spectacle.

For Shakira, the night further cemented her reputation as the default choice for World Cup anthems, while Burna Boy strengthened his standing as a major force not only in African music but on the global stage.

A new World Cup tradition?

As Spain and Argentina returned to the pitch for the second half, the atmosphere inside New York New Jersey Stadium remained charged, with many supporters still chanting the “Dai Dai” refrain.

Beyond chart success and streaming numbers, organisers pointed to the show as proof that the World Cup final can now carry a dedicated half-time event without overshadowing the football itself.

By the time the final whistle sounded, players, fans and broadcasters alike were already debating whether the 2026 show had set a template for future tournaments.

What appeared certain was that the debut World Cup final half-time show – and especially the joint performance by Shakira and Burna Boy – would be remembered as a vivid celebration of diversity, dance and the unifying pull of the world’s most-watched sporting event.