Grammy Award-winning Afrobeats star, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, made history on Sunday as the first Nigerian artiste to perform at a FIFA World Cup final halftime show.
The singer shared the stage with Colombian superstar Shakira during FIFA’s inaugural halftime entertainment at the 2026 World Cup final, held at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States. His appearance marked another milestone for Nigerian music on the global stage.
While Femi Kuti and Rema had previously performed at different FIFA World Cup events, Burna Boy became the first Nigerian to feature during a World Cup final halftime show.
Burna Boy and Shakira performed Dai Dai, the tournament’s official anthem, before thousands of fans in the stadium and millions watching around the world. The pair, who had earlier performed the song at the opening ceremony, were this time joined by Uganda’s Ghetto Kids, whose energetic choreography lit up the show.
The entertainment also featured American icons Madonna and Justin Bieber. Madonna opened the segment after the first half, while Bieber later delivered an acoustic rendition of Everything Hallelujah. Brazilian football legends Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho also appeared to loud cheers.
Curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, the show ran for just over 27 minutes, longer than the traditional 15-minute halftime interval used in FIFA matches. The extended break drew mixed reactions, with some fans welcoming the new format and others questioning FIFA’s decision to add halftime entertainment to the final.
Former England striker Ian Wright joked about Ronaldinho’s oversized tracksuit, while former Manchester United captain Roy Keane was less impressed. “It was a bit of an anti-climax, but listen, it’s so nice to see Shakira,” Keane said.
For Burna Boy, the performance was another defining moment in a career that has carried Afrobeats to some of the world’s biggest stages, reinforcing the genre’s growing influence well beyond music as Nigerian artistes continue to headline festivals and sell out arenas across Europe and North America.
Source: The Guardian.
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