World Cup 2026 Opens With a Global Soundtrack as Music Takes Center Stage

The FIFA World Cup 2026 officially begins Thursday with more than soccer on the schedule. From Mexico City's opening ceremony to concerts and fan festivals across the United States, music is playing a major role in welcoming the world to the tournament.

At the center of the celebration is "DNA," the official FIFA World Cup 2026 anthem. Released one day before the tournament, the song brings together Andrea Bocelli, David Guetta, Ejae and Megan Thee Stallion — a lineup that crosses opera, electronic, K-pop and hip-hop. The track is designed to soundtrack the entire competition, from broadcasts to in-stadium moments, and reflects the tournament's tri-nation hosting between the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The anthem will debut live during the opening ceremony at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where the first match of the tournament kicks off. FIFA has framed "DNA" as more than a song — it's the sonic identity for a World Cup being staged across three countries and dozens of cities.

Alongside "DNA," a second official song titled "Dai Dai" arrives as part of the tournament's expanded music program. Together the releases mark FIFA's push to give the 2026 edition a deeper musical footprint than past tournaments, with multiple official tracks rather than a single anthem.

The music spills beyond the stadium. Fan festivals across host cities — including Philadelphia, Miami and Atlanta — will feature live performances tied to opening day, turning public squares and waterfronts into open-air concert venues for supporters who didn't secure match tickets. In San Francisco, a separate "Love is You" event leans into the city's musical heritage with a lineup built around community and connection.

For the artists involved, the World Cup represents one of the largest possible stages. Bocelli brings global recognition and operatic weight; Guetta delivers festival-scale production; Ejae represents the global rise of K-pop songwriting and vocal craft; and Megan Thee Stallion adds American hip-hop firepower. The collaboration is engineered for the kind of crossover audience only a World Cup can assemble.

For fans, the message from FIFA and its partners is clear: the 2026 World Cup is being presented as more than an international sports competition. Its concerts, recordings and artist collaborations are creating a global soundtrack designed to connect supporters before, during and after the matches.

On opening day, the first whistle will be accompanied by some of the biggest voices in music.

Photo courtesy of FIFA

Rooted in the powerful idea of DNA, the anthem reflects the essence of football – resilience, unity, ambition and belonging – values that live inside every player and every fan. As the lyrics declare, "It's more than just a game, it's our DNA", capturing the emotional and cultural bonds that connect pitches, streets and nations across generations.

Performed by Maestro Andrea Bocelli, David Guetta, Megan Thee Stallion and EJAE, the anthem blends grandeur, modernity and global voices. Bocelli brings timeless dignity and emotional weight, echoing the tradition and legacy of the game. Guetta infuses contemporary scale and universality, while EJAE delivers a voice shaped by the global fan experience. Together, they have created an anthem that feels both reverent and current – a bridge between football's history and its future. As the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Anthem and part of the Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ album, DNA stands at the heart of FIFA's global music programme for the tournament, reflecting the global reach and shared spirit of the FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup 2026 continues to connect fans across the world ahead of the biggest and most inclusive edition in history.

For more information and to view the full FIFA World Cup 2026 music campaign announcement, visit FIFA.com/Sound↗ (opens in a new tab).