Why Millions of Fans Insist It's Not a Real World Cup Until This Iconic Singer Shows Up
Wake up, babe: the World Cup anthem just dropped and people have opinions. When the iconic event's opening ceremony took place on June 12, the flags were flying, and iconic Colombian star Shakira dominated the broadcast. But this time, the performance of Dai Dai came with a heavy dose of whiplash.
The internet looked at the calendar, then the screen, and did some quick math. A post on Reddit summed up the realization. One fan wrote: "I woke up for a few seconds, told my husband Waka Waka was 16 years ago, gave him an existential crisis, and went back to bed."
Shakira's smash hit ruled the airwaves that summer. The drums, the infectious beat, and the easy to sing along to chorus ensured the song's chokehold on every car radio from Miami to Madrid.
Fans felt the new performance tried its best. There were sequins, pyrotechnics, and the usual killer choreography. But matching the memory of that song was always going to be an uphill battle. The crowd wanted that old feeling back, and the new track didn't quite deliver the same punch, fans said.
Not everyone thought the new material lived up to the legacy. "It's no Waka Waka, that's for sure. Falls a bit flat," one viewer noted.
Another fan disagreed, choosing to trust the process: "Waka Waka becomes more iconic because of the memories created that summer. Gotta let this one marinate and see where it goes."
Still, the feeling among fans is the same: the tournament doesn't feel official until Shakira shows up to drop a beat and dance routine you probably won't be able to recreate. She has become as synonymous with the global tournament as the trophy itself, relying on her unique brand of stadium pop.
Fans are already drawing parallels to other seasonal pop stars. "She has a formula and it works!" wrote one commenter, while another added, "Shakira is the World Cup Anthem Queen, just like Mariah Carey is the Christmas Time Queen."
As another fan bluntly put it: "It's not a World Cup without Shakira!"
"Waka Waka was peak for sure," another agreed. Maybe it was. But sixteen years later, the formula still works, even if it leaves fans feeling ancient in the process.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 6:15 AM.