Burna Boy, Shakira Meet Ahead of World Cup Final Halftime Show

Nigeria’s Burna Boy and global pop star Shakira have met up again in the United States as rehearsals intensify for the historic FIFA World Cup final halftime show. The pair, who co‑created “Dai Dai,” the official song of the 2026 World Cup, were seen sharing smiles, laughter and a warm embrace at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the final will be played.

Burna Boy posted a clip of their reunion on X, giving fans a behind‑the‑scenes glimpse of the build‑up to Sunday’s game. In the video, the two artists appear relaxed and excited as they walk through the stadium and chat between rehearsal sessions, underscoring the chemistry that has already made their World Cup collaboration a global talking point.

FIFA has confirmed that Burna Boy and Shakira will perform “Dai Dai” as part of the halftime entertainment during the final. The song, released in May, blends Shakira’s Latin‑pop sensibilities with Burna Boy’s Afrobeats sound in what FIFA described as “a vibrant celebration of football, culture and unity.” The pair previously performed it at the tournament’s opening ceremony, helping set the tone for a World Cup co‑hosted across North America.

Sunday’s show will be historic in its own right, marking the first‑ever halftime production at a FIFA World Cup final. The performance is curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and is designed to mirror the cultural impact of the Super Bowl halftime show by bringing together some of the world’s biggest music names on football’s biggest stage.

The lineup for the final is stacked. In addition to Burna Boy and Shakira, co‑headliners include Madonna, BTS and Justin Bieber, alongside conductor Gustavo Dudamel, Coldplay’s PS22 Chorus and appearances from Sesame Street and The Muppets. The segment is expected to last around 11 minutes, with artists performing without pay as part of a broader charitable effort backing the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million for children’s education worldwide.

For Burna Boy, the occasion is doubly significant. He is set to become the first African artist to perform at a World Cup final halftime show, a milestone he has described as both a privilege and a responsibility in previous comments shared by his team and fan pages. His presence on the bill reflects the growing influence of Afrobeats on global stages—from award shows to football tournaments—and adds a distinctly African sound to a performance otherwise dominated by North American, European and Latin acts.

Shakira, meanwhile, is returning to a space she helped define. Her past World Cup songs, including “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” have become tournament anthems in their own right. With “Dai Dai,” she once again anchors the musical narrative of a World Cup, this time in partnership with Burna Boy and with proceeds from her royalties going to support education initiatives through FIFA’s Global Citizen fund.

As the final approaches, the photo and video of Burna Boy and Shakira together have heightened anticipation for both the match and the halftime show. For fans of football and music alike, Sunday will be about more than deciding the world champions; it will also showcase a new kind of global spectacle, where Afrobeats, Latin pop and international stars share the same stage in a celebration of the game’s worldwide reach.