The Best Football Anthems by Black Artists Across the Globe

The World Cup is not just a football tournament; it is also a cultural moment, a time etched in fans’ memories for its goals, victories, and defeats, as well as the songs we’ll associate with it. 

Many previous tournaments have had official songs, though only a few have endured as classics. But for some football fans, it’s the unofficial songs that linger. A great deal of these songs have been written or performed by Black artists from all over the globe. 

Here are 13 of those certified World Cup anthems.

Vegedream "Ramenez la coupe à la maison" 

Just a few days after France won their second World Cup title in 2018, the Orléans rapper of Ivorian descent dropped this celebration of that winning team. The song, whose lyrics mention the whole French winning team, became an instant hit in France and an unofficial anthem for the national team that is still played today.

Tam Sir "Coup du Marteau" ft. Team Paiya, Ste Milano, Renard Barakissa, Tazeboy, PSK

The Abidjan singer and composer, along with an all-star musical team, dropped this song in French, Arabic, and Nouchi (the slang of Côte d'Ivoire) in December 2023, one month before the start of the AFCON, which was played in and won by his country. It was a way to celebrate both the tournament and Ivorians. Not only Ivorians but also African fans everywhere delighted in the song’s Afrobeat and zouglou rhythms: its YouTube video has almost 170 million views, and the single achieved platinum status in France.

Lisandro Cuxi and Loony Johnson “SIKI SIKI”

Cabo Verde made its first-ever World Cup this time around, and its artists Cuxi (who won the French version of The Voice a decade ago) and Johnson (who was born António Miranda) bring a rare chill kizomba hype song, sung in the local Kriolu, that has become the track to rally around the national team.

K’naan “Wavin’ Flag”

Somali-Canadian K’naan’s world hit seems like it was another official World Cup song, as it was ubiquitous during the 2010 tournament. But actually, the song, which was originally released a year earlier, was chosen by Coca-Cola as a promotional anthem for the tournament. And although the song was originally written about Somalia, it is impossible to listen to it now without thinking “World Cup.”

Lupe Fiasco “Stellar Light” 

The Chicago rapper released this song in 2014 as the USMNT's “official rallying anthem” for the World Cup in Brazil. Fast and energetic, it is an appropriate hype song for a famously relentless country. 

Karibu Kidz "Tobeta Bango" 

Children’s YouTube channel Karibu Kidz (run by a family of Congolese-Americans) scored a surprise viral hit with this song meant to support the DR Congo in this year’s World Cup. After the Leopards qualified for the tournament in the play-ins in Mexico, the track, sung in Lingala, became immensely popular and sparked a dance craze in Congo and beyond.

Omar Pène & Super Diamono “Supporters” 

Legendary and prolific Dakar singer Omar Pène released this track in 1993 (after his famous band Super Diamono had broken up and he had reassembled it with new members) as an homage to the Senegal Lions. The mbalax and funk-infused song has remained an anthem for the team ever since.

Talal Fattal “Black Stars Straight to the Top” ft. Ashitey & Batman (Samini)

A marvelous product of its time, this song was composed by the Arab Ghanaian Talal Fattal as the official song for his Ghanaian TV station to support the Black Stars at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Accompanying him in the song are Ghanaian singer Ashitey Love and the reggae and dancehall star Samini (then known as Batman), who delivers a memorable rap near the end. A song that, for many Ghanaians who grew up around that World Cup, now epitomizes the national team. 

Austino Milado "Super Eagles Carry Go" 

Although the Super Eagles didn’t make it to the tournament this time around, we can’t leave this African football anthem out. In 2001, a mostly unknown musician, Austino Milado, created a hype song for the Nigerian national team in the gyration style of Lagos’s parties that is still embraced by fans and players alike. 

Cali Flow Latino “Ras tas tas”

Colombia became a fan favorite in the 2014 World Cup, in part because of the team’s dancing goal celebrations. Those dances were inspired by a uniquely Afro-Colombian genre from the country’s Pacific Coast: salsa choke. And no salsa choke song inspired that Colombian team more than this one. The players danced on stage to it in their return home to adoring fans after making it further in the competition than any other Colombian team ever has.

Future & Tyla “Game Time” 

The American rapper and South African singer join forces for this additional, official 2026 World Cup song. Actually, along with “Dai Dai” and another 16 songs, “Game Time” is part of the official World Cup album. In the track, Future’s trap beats complement Tyla’s silky singing voice, as both join for a lively hype song.

Shakira & Burna Boy “Dai Dai”

Nigeria, unfortunately, did not make the World Cup, but it made this list twice! One of the World Cup’s official songs features Nigerian superstar Burna Boy, who brings a blend of African rhythms to the track. Unlike some other official tournament songs, this one is actually proving pretty popular.