Several Nigerian artistes have featured on football’s biggest global stage through FIFA World Cup ceremonies, official songs and related music projects over the years.
Below are Nigerian stars who have been involved in World Cup performances and music events.
- Burna Boy
Burna Boy is the most recent Nigerian artiste linked to a FIFA World Cup stage. He was reported to have performed alongside Colombian singer Shakira at the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City ahead of the tournament’s opening match between hosts Mexico and South Africa.
The ceremony was held at the renovated stadium with a capacity of about 80,000 and featured fireworks, choreography and a large scale trophy display as the tournament began across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The highlight of the performance came when both artistes delivered the official anthem, “Dai Dai,” which made its live debut during the ceremony. Shakira led a group of dancers while Burna Boy joined for his featured sections.
- Davido
Davido performed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar alongside Qatari singer Aisha and American artiste Trinidad Cardona. They performed the official tournament anthem, “Hayya Hayya (Better Together),” at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on December 18, 2022.
The performance took place during the closing ceremony shortly before the final match between Argentina and France.
- Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti performed at the opening ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He shared the stage with other African artistes including Hugh Masekela.
His performance was part of the global showcase that introduced the tournament and highlighted African music to a worldwide audience.
Other Nigerian artistes including Rema, Kizz Daniel, Patoranking and Ayra Starr have also been linked to FIFA related music campaigns, playlists and official football themed projects over the years.
Their involvement reflects the growing presence of Nigerian music on global football platforms, through both live performances and official FIFA related music projects.
