The opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup is one of the largest platforms of multicultural art. The world cup song called for everyone and made football one of the most beautiful places to celebrate different cultures, different traditions, and the diversity of different societies altogether.
The first world cup with a song started back in 1962. Since then a world cup doesn’t feel complete without a world cup theme song.
Here we made a list of all FIFA World Cup songs from 1962 to 2022. Let’s see.
World Cup 1962 (Chile)
Song Title: El Rock Del Mundial
Performer: Los Ramblers
Writer: Jorge Rojas Astorga
El Rock Del Mundial was the first official song and music work for FIFA World Cup. The song was made by the Chilean Rock Band Los Ramblers. It was a huge success in South America and sold more than 2 million copies. The song also set another record in Chilean music for being the best-selling single till now.
1966 (England)
Song Title: World Cup Willie
(Where in this World are We Going)
Performer: Lonnie Donegan
Writer: N/A
We all are familiar with the World Cup Mascot, it’s a series of unique characters for each FIFA World Cup event. It’s now one of the biggest traditions of the World Cup. A country gets to represent its culture, society, ideology, etc. with the mascot.
The first mascot show began back in 1966 with the song of World Cup Willie.
1970 (Mexico)
Song Title: Fútbol México 70
Performer: Los Hermanos Zavala
Writer: Roberto do Nascimento
The football we watch and play today wasn’t always like that all the time. It has come through a lot of improvements and changes. The 1970 World Cup was the first step to making modern-day football. The use of yellow and red cards first started in the 1970 FIFA World cup.
The song “Fútbol México 70” represents the wind of change that was going on at that time.
1974 (West Germany)
Song title: Fussball Ist Unser Leben
Performer: German national football team
Writer: N/A
The song “Fussball Ist Unser Leben” was one of the most marvelous and unique events in football history. All German national players sang together to create this outstanding song. And you know what, none of the players had any past experience in the field of singing but it turned out beautifully.
There were 11 songs in the album and all of them were huge successes.
Song Title: Futbol
Performer: Maryla Rodowicz
Writer: Jonasz Kofta, Leszek Bogdanowicz
Maryla Rodowicz song, “Futbol” was one of the best things football lovers ever experienced in the opening ceremony.
1978 (Argentina)
Song Title: El Mundial
Performer: Buenos Aires Municipal Symphony
Writer: Ennio Morricone
That song is considered one of the best world cup songs in history. Nothing like this instrumental cover we have seen later. The lyric less music was composed by famous Italian musician Ennio Morricone. He later worked on many other football projects.
1982 (Spain)
Song Title: El Mundial
Performer: Plácido Domingo
Writer: N/A
In 1982, Plácido Domingo was in charge of making the World Cup song for Spain. He followed his elder footprints and adopted the Argentina world cup music strategy.
Domingo showed the culture of Spain through heavy energetic, groovy hit music.
1986 (Mexico)
Song Title: El mundo unido por un balón
Performer: Juan Carlos Abara
Writer: N/A
Song Title: A Special Kind of Hero
Performer: Stephanie Lawrence
Writer: Rick Wakeman
Song Title: Hot Hot Hot
Performer: Arrow
Writer: Alphonsus Cassell and Leston Paul
1986 FIFA came up with some amazing songs that later inspired many FIFA songs. El mundo unido por un balón, A Special Kind of Hero by Stephanie Lawrence, and Hot Hot Hot were the most heat song from that year.
1990 (Italy)
Song Title: Un’estate Italiana
Performer: Edoardo Bennato, Gianna Nannini
Writer: Tom Whitlock
Among the most successful world cup song, Un’estate Italiana will always be on the top. The song was composed by the music boss Giorgio Moroder.
1994 (USA)
Song Title: We Are the Champions
Performer: Queen
Writer: Queen
This is one of the best creations of the Queens band. Their footprint in the football world cup will always remember as one of the best songs.
1998 (France)
Song Title: Carnaval de Paris
Performer: Dario G
Writer: Dario G
This is another instrumental cover of world cup songs. The soundtrack is so good to some point that fans claim that this should be the FIFA world cup forever.
Song Title: Together Now
Performer: Jean Michel Jarre and Tetsuya Komuro.
Writer: Jean Michel Jarre, Jean Michel Jarre, and Olivia Lufkin.
The beginning tune of that song is too good, and it will hold your attention for the whole time.
2002 (Japan, South Korea)
Song Title: Live For Love United
Performer: Peabo Bryson
Writer: Peabo Bryson
Song Title: Let’s Get Together Now
Performer: Voices of KOREA/JAPAN
Writer: Daisuke Kawaguchi, Kim Hyung-Suk, Yoshimitsu Sawamoto, Kiyoshi Matsuo, and Lena Park.
The 2002 World Cup music was released by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. So many artists work on that album. There were a total of 20 soundtracks on that album.
We’re on the Ball, which was a single by Ant & Dec, later included in the 2002 official world cup album, and Live For Love United was the most heat song from that album.
2006 (Germany)
Song Title: Zeit dass sich was dreht (Celebrate The Day)
Performer: Herbert Grönemeyer and Amadou & Mariam
Writer: Herbert Grönemeyer
Song Title: The Time of Our Lives
Performer: Il Divo and Toni Braxton
Writer: Jörgen Elofsson and Steve Mac
The time of our lives was the official World Cup song for the 2006 Germany world cup. Jörgen Elofsson’s writing and Toni Braxton’s signing made the song one of the hit songs of all time. After realizing the singles, it became one of the most sold singles of all time. In Switzerland, it was on the top 10 list; in German and Norway, it was among the top 20 sales list, and it came 52 on the European Hot 100 singles chart.
2010 (South Africa)
Song Title: Waka Waka
Performer: Shakira featuring Freshlyground
Writer: Ze Bell Jean Paul, Shakira, Kojidie, and J. Hill
Song Title: Game On
Performer: Pitbull, Tkzee, and Dario G
Song Title: Sign of a Victory
Performer: R. Kelly featuring the Soweto Spiritual Singers
Writer: R. Kelly
Song Title: Waving Flag
Performer: K’Naan
Writer: K’naan, Ebrahim Dhooma, Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, and Jean Daval.
Since the beginning of the world cup in 1962, there have been so many songs released about FIFA World Cup. Before 2010, the world cup songs mostly attract specific areas of people.
But after releasing the Wakka Wakka and Waving Flag in the 2010 World Cup, FIFA finally caught the eyes of every single football fan. The waiting for a FIFA song started with the Waving Flag song. It changed the whole definition and outcome of the FIFA song.
2014 (Brazil)
Song Title: Tatu Bom de Bola
Performer: Arlindo Cruz
Writer: Arlindo Cruz
Song Title: Dar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way)
Performer: Carlos Santana featuring Wyclef, Avicii, And Alexandre Pires
Writer: Alexandre Pires, Arash Pournouri
Rami Yacoub, Carl Falk, Tim Bergling
Arnon Woolfson, Diogo Vianna, and Wyclef Jean
Song Title: The World Is Ours
Performer: David Correy, Aloe Blacc, Ira Losco, and Monobloco
The legacy that was built in 2010 is absolutely unbreakable. However, In 2014 Brazil’s World Cup did an amazing job and maintained the standard by producing songs like La La La(Shakira), and We Are One(Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez).
2018 (Russia)
Song Title: Live It Up
Performer: Nicky Jam featuring Will Smith and Era Istrefi
Writer: Nicky Jam, Will Smith, Era Istrefi, and Diplo
Famous singer Nicky Jam, rapper Will Smith and Era Istrefi were in charge of making the world cup 2018 song. Their “Live It Up” had reached number one in Panama, and it was in the top 10 list in Hungary, Poland, Bolivia, and Argentina.
However, the song has faced huge criticism for its generic, synthetic sound and its detachment from the genre and host country.
2022 (Qatar)
All the world cup songs of 2022 have been named. Among all the songs, “Hayya Hayya” got the highest praise and love from everyone. Trinidad Cardona, Davido, and Aisha are the three most talented singers from America, Africa, and the Middle East. Their collaboration sets an example of how football and music united people together.
Other songs have good reviews too. However, negative comments are also made. People are mostly criticizing Light The Sky (Nora Fatehi) and Dreamers(Jung Kook).
Here is the full list of Qatar World Cup 2022 official songs.
- Officials Soundtrack
Hayya Hayya (Better Together)- Trinidad Cardona, Davido and AISHA
- Arhbo- Ozuna, and Gims
- Light The Sky- Nora Fatehi, Rahma Riad, Balqees, Redone, and Manal
- Tukoh Taka- Nicki Minaj, Maluma, and Myriam Fares
The song is also the official fan festival anthem of FIFA.
- Dreamers- Jung Kook Ft. Fahad Al Kubaisi
- Coca-Cola Promotional Anthem
A Kind of Magic- Danna Paola, Felukah, Tamtam
- Hyundai Promotional
Yet to Come- BTS
Conclusion:
This was the full list of FIFA World Cup songs from every year. Tell me which one is your favorite and what do think about the 2022 World Cup songs.
- Read More Also: EA Sports Predict: Lionel Messi Will Win the FIFA World Cup
