World Cup music: Find the ultimate anthems for your content
Find the best World Cup music for your content with Epidemic Sound.
We’ll cover:
- What is World Cup music?
- What is the most popular World Cup song?
- What is the 2026 World Cup song?
- Find the best World Cup music with Epidemic Sound
- Why Epidemic Sound’s music license works for you
What is World Cup music?
Since 1990, every FIFA World Cup has had official anthems, traditionally performed during the opening or closing ceremony. These tracks are also used in promotional materials and during broadcast — think of them as World Cup theme songs. World Cup music is officially selected by FIFA.
World Cup music is usually tied to the host country. For example, 1998’s World Cup was soundtracked by Ricky Martin’s La Copa de la Vida, sung in Spanish and English, with a little French sprinkled on top. As the tournament took place in France, an additional, French-language anthem was chosen: La Cour des Grands, by Youssou N'Dour and Axelle Red.
While FIFA selects tracks, that doesn’t mean they’re the only songs popping off. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was officially soundtracked by Shakira — more on that in a second — but you might also remember Wavin’ Flag.
Originally released by K'naan in 2009, the track found new life when the Somali-Canadian artist was asked to re-imagine it for Coca-Cola’s World Cup campaign. Wavin’ Flag was re-recorded in different languages and with various guest artists, becoming a worldwide hit.
What is the most popular World Cup song?
Shakira’s Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), from 2010’s FIFA World Cup, is the most popular World Cup song. With around 4.5 billion YouTube plays, it’s the eighth-most-played music video on the platform.
What is the 2026 World Cup song?
Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini’s Desire is FIFA’s current anthem. Williams performed the track alongside Nicole Scherzinger at the FIFA World Cup Draw in December 2025.
Telemundo, the American Spanish-language TV network, has released its own FIFA anthem: Somos Más, by Carlos Vives, Emilia, Wisin, and Xavi. Coca-Cola recently dropped a 2026 World Cup song by J Balvin, Amber Mark, Travis Barker, and Steve Vai, which reworks Van Halen’s classic Jump.
Find the best World Cup music with Epidemic Sound
Kick off your soundtracking journey in style. Epidemic Sound’s Global Anthems is a curated ecosystem of world-class bangers that express the euphoria, the life of global football culture. The essential sync for the world’s biggest stage is here.
Host City Heat
2026 is the first time that three nations have hosted the World Cup together. Host City Heat captures Mexico’s unreal energy, Canada’s introspective edge, and the multicultural pulse of the US. This playlist is a road trip through the 16 host cities’ vibrant, street-level sounds.
Want a taste? Check out Alcónes Negros’ Cielito. The traditional Mexican folk shuffle and lively harp serve as the calm before the storm when the World Cup opens in Mexico City.
Stadium Legends
The World Cup writes cinematic moments into history. The Stadium Legends playlist delivers that weight through a blend of hybrid orchestral, epic hip-hop, and stadium rock. With massive 808s and soaring melodies built for trophy lifts and career-defining montages, it’s music made for victory.
If you’re stuck for sync points and want a slice of everything, try Ooyy and Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen’s Boundless. What starts as a tranquil, orchestral lullaby swells into a symphonic landslide accompanied by cleaner-than-bleach drum and bass.
Match Point Tension
Your team’s down 2–1 with ten minutes to spare. You’re waiting on a VAR decision. The match has gone to penalties. Match Point Tension’s driving bass pulses and industrial textures drag the suspense through the stadium and straight into your content.
Nbhd Nick takes that tension and smashes it with trap beats, synchronized claps, and choppy vocal samples. Use Our Time to make your viewers feel the crunch in the pits of their stomachs.
World Cup Euphoria
World Cup Euphoria is a borderless expression of joy, covering everything from baile funk and Afrobeats to Eurodance and J-pop. It’s the world’s biggest victory lap in one playlist.
We’re sure you remember Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show: an explosion of culture, music, and love. Get that same melting-pot energy with El Jiggy and Manuelo Jersey’s SAOKO, which seamlessly pairs Afrobeats with Latin pop.
Why Epidemic Sound’s music license works for you
The official World Cup anthems are just that: anthems. They’re larger-than-life tracks that embody the soul of the World Cup…but that soul comes with a larger-than-life price tag. Clearing these tracks for commercial use can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, while licensing them incorrectly can lead to hefty fees and legal trouble.
Find your World Cup music, your way, with Epidemic Sound. Explore a catalog of more than 55,000 world-class tracks, recorded by fresh talent alongside Grammy-winning and -nominated artists. Filter by genre, mood, BPM, and more, or search with a reference Spotify link for instant suggestions. Then, fine-tune our tracks with AI-powered tools to find the perfect fit.
Regardless of platform and media switch-ups in the future, your content is safe. What you publish during an active subscription is licensed forever, even if you choose to leave Epidemic Sound.
It’s high-quality, affordable, and worry-free. Get started with Epidemic Sound below.
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