SAMPLEDFuture and Tyla just dropped Game Time — and hip-hop finally has a place on the FIFA World Cup soundtrack
The Cirkut-produced single lands on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album, debuts live at the opening ceremony at Los Angeles Stadium on June 12, and becomes the first hip-hop track ever on a World Cup album.
For the first time in the tournament''s history, hip-hop is on the FIFA World Cup (opens in a new tab) soundtrack — not as a bonus track, not as a remix, as a headline single. Future (opens in a new tab) and Tyla (opens in a new tab) released Game Time on May 29, 2026 as the newest single from the Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Album, and the track debuts live at the star-studded opening ceremony at Los Angeles Stadium (opens in a new tab) on Friday, June 12.
What the song sounds like
Produced by four-time GRAMMY® winner Cirkut (opens in a new tab), Game Time is built around bold brass, booming percussion and a rallying Future hook that literally counts down: "20 seconds to game time." Tyla folds in her signature global pop energy, and the whole track feels like the moment right before kickoff — anticipation compressed into three minutes.
Watch the official music video (opens in a new tab) or stream Game Time on all streaming platforms (opens in a new tab).
Why this is a big cultural moment
Every previous World Cup album has leaned pop, Latin or global fusion. Hip-hop was somehow never the headline. That ends here:
- First hip-hop track ever on a FIFA World Cup album — a genuine cultural first for a 96-year-old competition
- Two GRAMMY-heavy artists on one record — Future (3x GRAMMY winner) and Tyla (2x GRAMMY winner)
- A Cirkut production — the same producer behind global chart-toppers for The Weeknd, Katy Perry and Rosalía
- Live debut at the opening ceremony in front of a projected billion-plus global viewers
"The World Cup is a global stage. We made a record to match that energy," Future said on release. "Now you know it''s Game Time. I''m excited to bring that energy to the Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles and celebrate this moment with fans from around the world."
For Tyla, the moment is even more layered: "Being part of the official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Album feels like a full-circle moment — from South Africa hosting the World Cup in 2010. I''m so excited to perform at the opening ceremonies! Let''s go Bafana Bafana."
The bigger album picture
Game Time joins previous album singles Lighter, Por Ella, Echo, Illuminate and Goals (opens in a new tab) — an intentionally global lineup meant to reflect the cultural diversity of a tournament being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. Adding hip-hop widens the album''s reach into the single most consumed music genre on the planet, which is exactly the point.
What to expect at the opening ceremony
June 12, Los Angeles Stadium, right before the first match on US soil. Expect Future to open with the countdown, Tyla to trade the melodic hook, and a stadium production designed to sync brass hits with the pyro. If you have ever wanted to see hip-hop on the same stage as the biggest sporting event on earth, this is that night.
Related listening on the site: our full World Cup 2026 music program breakdown.