Top 20 Best World Cup Songs
Mia Russell general
Top 20 World Cup Songs
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 World Cup Songs.
For this list, we’ll be looking at some of the best and most iconic songs affiliated with the World Cup, either from an international team or from FIFA directly.
Which song affiliated with the World Cup is your favorite? Let us know below!
#20: “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)”
2022 FIFA World CupWith the 2022 World Cup taking place in Qatar, the nation needed to go all out to try and make people forget about the many, many scandals and focus on the prestigious tournament instead. So, they put together “Hayya Hayya (Better Together).” Hayya, meaning “come on” in Arabic, on top of a music video featuring players from different sides supporting each other, is all to illustrate the message of unity. Especially with multi-national musicians singing, such as American Trinidad Cardona, Nigeria’s Davido, and Qatar’s AISHA. To top it off, the flags of various nations are featured. The video also highlights Qatari culture with an uplifting melody that might be stuck in your head all day.
#19: “Magic in the Air”
2014 FIFA World CupIt’s not often an official song that makes not one but two appearances at separate World Cups. But that’s the case with this tune. With a focus on Africa and most of the lyrics being in French, it was performed by Morocco's Chawki and Ivory Coast’s Magic System. Made originally for the 2014 tournament in Brazil, the song was a massive success in French-speaking countries. It reached number one in France, Lebanon, and Belgium. Then, in 2018, it became the soundtrack for the French national team at the Russian World Cup. Every time they scored, “Magic in the Air” would blare out from the speakers. It evidently must have motivated them, as France went on to win that tournament.
#18: “Love Generation”
2006 FIFA World CupWhen “Love Generation” first came out in 2005, it was a hit throughout Europe. However, once FIFA got their hands on it and made it an official track for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, that just made it even more popular. Created by the regular duo of France’s Bob Sinclar with vocals by Jamaica’s Gary Pine, the tune reached number one in many places, including Australia, Germany, the US, and more. You couldn’t really go to a club in the mid-2000s without this banger making an appearance. When it was re-released in 2006, the music video was edited to feature the tournament’s double-act mascots, Goleo and Pille, as a young boy travels the world on his bike.
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#17: “Moskau”
2018 FIFA World CupThe 2018 World Cup in Russia didn’t really have too many song hits. But this one definitely stood out. “Moskau” was originally released back in 1979 by Germany’s Dsenghis Khan, with an English version released in 1980. Honestly, that facial hair combo is just sublime. To promote the 2018 event, Dschinghis Khan teamed up with numerous artists to re-release the record in various languages, with some new lyrics to make it football related. For English and German, Jay Khan took on the project. For Spain, it was Jorge Jiménez and Marifer Medrano. And for Russia, it was Alexander Malinin with his daughter Ustinya.
#16: “El Rock del Mundial”
1962 FIFA World CupWe couldn’t really put together a video of World Cup songs without including the O.G. All the way back in 1962, the tournament was set to be hosted in Chile. And to make this event stand out from the others, an official tune was released by one of the nation’s bands, Los Ramblers. Taking a rock’n’roll stance, “El Rock del Mundial” sounds like something Elvis Presley would’ve put together. It was a smash hit since a reported 80,000 copies were sold by the end of that year.
#15: “Seven Nation Army”
2018 FIFA World CupIf there’s an award for a song that wasn’t made for sport but has been used in the most athletic events, “Seven Nation Army” would definitely be in the running. Released in 2003 by the White Stripes, the song became an unofficial anthem for Italy in the 2006 World Cup. The fans would sing the rhythm, especially when they celebrated after the country won that year’s World Cup. But then, in 2018, it was given an authorized stamp by FIFA. The organizers for the tournament blasted out that familiar bass riff and drum beat whenever the mascots and players came onto the pitch, exposing the legendary tune to hundreds of millions of football fans across the world.
#14: “Greatest Day”
2014 FIFA World CupRather than a FIFA-sanctioned tune, this one is purely done for the England national team. Hoping to inspire the side to success, Gary Lineker, the legendary forward, teamed up with Gary Barlow from the band, Take That. The duo got together former England footballers, like Martin Keown, Michael Owen, and Glenn Hoddle, alongside musicians like Emma Bunton, Pixie Lott, and Katy B, to help out. Made under the charity Sports Relief, they covered Take That’s song “Greatest Day.” The track even used autotune for the non-pro singers, which is amazing. But considering England finished bottom of Group D at the tournament, it wasn’t exactly their greatest day in the end.
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#13: “Futbol”
1974 FIFA World CupFor the 1974 World Cup in Germany, FIFA turned to the legendary Polish artist, who was kick starting her career at the time, Maryla Rodowicz. Considering the history between Germany and Poland, it seems fitting for the organizers to try and mend some fences with this collaboration. Releasing the song “Futbol,” Rodowicz even performed the catchy tune live at the opening ceremony in Munich. The lyrics, primarily in Polish, also contain some German, Spanish and English words to amply the unity message that FIFA likes to promote.
#12: “Boom”
2002 FIFA World CupEven some of the biggest musicians around can’t ignore the allure of the World Cup. For the event hosted in Japan and South Korea in 2002, Anastacia was called upon to release the track “Boom.” With a music video featuring people around the world being abducted and forced to be at her performance, it’s a bit weird. But it also contains clips of the Beautiful Game to keep things on brand. “Boom” saw a lot of success in Europe’s charts. However, like a fine wine, the tune got more love as it got older. In 2014, MTV in Italy chose “Boom” as their favorite World Cup anthem, and we can’t really blame them.
#11: “Dar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way)”
2014 FIFA World CupSince this song features the iconic Mexican guitarist Carlos Santana, you already know why this one is on our list. Made alongside Haiti’s Wyclef Jean and featuring the late Swedish DJ Avicii and Brazil’s Alexandre Pires, “Dar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way)” is a Latin rock song that you’ll be humming all the livelong day. And we love every moment. From the upbeat tempo and lyrics to the guitar solo from Santana, the song was an underdog hit for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The lyrics switch from English to Portuguese as the music video focuses on the Brazilian team and the fans. It really got the atmosphere pumped up before a match.
#10: “We Are the Champions”
1994 FIFA World CupFor a song called “We Are the Champions,” which was released in 1977, it’s weird it took so long for it to be officially included at a World Cup. Especially since it was put together by the wonderful Queen. Upon its original release, the anthem was an instant success and hit high in the music charts across the globe. The tune, all about celebrating winning, was brought into the FIFA family for the 1994 edition in the United States. In 2011, a group of scientists at Goldsmiths, University of London, England, took a deep delve into the tune. They concluded that “We Are the Champions” is the catchiest pop song of all time. And it’s a fair conclusion to reach.
#9: “Hot Hot Hot”
1986 FIFA World CupOriginally released in 1983, “Hot Hot Hot” by Montserratian musician Arrow has popped up at various sporting events since, like in cricket and, of course, football. The repetition of the word “ole” definitely factored into the catchy number being used at the World Cup. The song was added to FIFA’s expansive library for the 1986 event in Mexico. While Arrow’s tune didn’t make a massive splash in the charts, peaking at 59 in the UK, it soon gained a cult following for its calypso-inspired upbeat melody. Numerous artists covered it, like Buster Poindexter and Don Omar, which saw new audiences experience the epic track.
#8: “The Time of Our Lives”
2006 FIFA World CupClassical music and football go hand-in-hand. Just look at the popularity of the Champions League theme. Well, FIFA evidently took note of this for the 2006 World Cup. They got the biggest classical vocal group Il Divo to team up with American R&B singer Toni Braxton for “The Time of Our Lives.” It was even sung at the opening ceremony in Munich. The song struck a chord with many since it peaked in the top 20 charts in countries like Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, and more. The slow build as the tune picks up pace, its dramatic melody, and the use of multi-language lyrics really appeal to fans.
#7: “Un'estate italiana”
1990 FIFA World CupIf you were looking for a music video that highlighted the strange time when the ‘80s turned into the ’90s, this would be the one for you. With moving multicolor designs and cheesy CGI footballs, it’s just delightful. Originally released in 1989, “Un'estate italiana” was performed by Italian duo Edoardo Bennato and Gianna Nannini. The English version, “To Be Number One,” was performed by the Giorgio Moroder Project. The songs were a big feature of Italia ‘90. Several TV programs opened with a variant of “Un'estate italiana” to get fans ready for the action.
#6: “World in Motion”
1990 FIFA World Cup
When fans first heard John Barnes rapping, they lost their minds with excitement. The then-England and Liverpool star had a stellar audition for a possible job after his sporting career. Released in 1990 by New Order, “World in Motion” was made for the England national team for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. The beloved tune even featured some of the other players lending their vocals alongside Barnes. Fun fact, the song was going to be called “E for England,” but the FA nipped that in the bud since it sounded like a reference to an illegal substance. As you can imagine, the tune reached number one in the UK charts. If there’s one thing the English love, it’s football songs.
#5: “We Are One (Ole Ola)”
2014 FIFA World Cup
Having already released a World Cup song for 2010 in South Africa, Pitbull got involved again for the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Teaming up with Jennifer Lopez and Brazil’s Claudia Leitte, the anthem “We Are One (Ole Ola)” wasn’t loved by the home nation on its release even though many notable artists were involved in writing of the song, including Sia, RedOne, and many more. Drumming by the Brazilian group Olodum was later added into the song. It reached number one in several nations, like Belgium and Switzerland. The upbeat Latin tune with a music video highlighting the iconic carnival culture in the South American country struck a chord with many World Cup fans.
#4: “Carnaval de Paris”
1998 FIFA World Cup
As soon as the opening notes to “Carnival De Paris” is played, you already know it's ingrained itself into football culture for all eternity. And it only gets better from there. Even though there are no lyrics, it doesn’t stop fans from humming the melody at stadiums. The song was made by England’s Dario G for the 1998 World Cup in France. Various instruments are included that are closely connected to those countries appearing at the tournament. When making “Carnival De Paris,” Dario G was actually inspired by another song that was popular with fans of Netherlands’s FC Utrecht. Since then, numerous football teams and sports across the world have adopted this iconic tune.
#3: “Wavin' Flag (Coca-Cola Celebration Mix)”
2010 FIFA World CupTo celebrate Africa hosting a World Cup for the first time, musicians went to town to release absolute bangers, one of which was “Wavin’ Flag” by Somali-Canadian artist K'naan. Released originally in 2009, it became such a hit, especially when it was covered for a charity single after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. With all that publicity, the Coca-Cola company signed K’naan to release an updated version for the iconic tournament that included lyrics and a music video related to soccer. And this anthem was a global success. It hit number one in the charts in Austria, Germany, Scotland, and more. K’naan even played the celebratory tune at the opening ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa.
#2: “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”
2010 FIFA World CupAnother person who's lent their talents to the World Cup a number of times is Columbia’s Shakira. Her biggest success came in the 2010 edition in South Africa. “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” is the type of song that will worm its way into your head until you're humming it non-stop for weeks. Featuring the South African band Freshlyground, it took heavy inspiration from the Cameroonian song "Zamina mina (Zangaléwa)" by Golden Sounds. The inspirational FIFA anthem hit number one in many countries, like France, Italy, Belgium, and more!
#1: “La Copa de la Vida” aka: “The Cup of Life”
1998 FIFA World Cup
Whether you know this tune as “La Copa de la Vida” or “The Cup of Life,” there’s one thing we can all agree on, this Ricky Martin song is everything a World Cup song should be. After all, many publications have ranked this song at the tippy-top of football anthems. Released in 1998, the song was an official tune for that year’s tournament in France. The samba and Latin pop tune is filled with football references that keep fans happy and gets them dancing. Plus, it has an easy-to-remember chorus that the audience can chant along to. So, it’s pretty perfect. “The Cup of Life” hit number one in the charts in Australia, Costa Rica, Spain, and many more, showing just how beloved it is.
