World Cup soundtrack: How teams choose songs that define their tournament

New York: The music heard inside World Cup stadiums is far from random. Behind every goal celebration, team entrance and post-match singalong is a carefully curated soundtrack designed to energise players, engage fans and reflect national identity.

According to FIFA, more than 750 songs have been selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by its Stadium Entertainment Team in collaboration with participating national football associations.

Each team has a tailored playlist featuring a signature line-up song, a warm-up track, a goal celebration anthem and a post-match victory song, creating a unique musical identity throughout the tournament.

More than just background music

Some songs have become global stadium staples, appearing on multiple team playlists. These include:

Football chanting expert and author Andrew Lawn said popular stadium songs share common traits: they are catchy, recognisable and easy for thousands of supporters to sing together.

He noted that songs often become permanently associated with memorable sporting moments.

“They become associated with a moment if that moment is successful,” he said. “Then they stick because that kind of emotion gets attached to the song.”

Songs that reflect national identity

Many teams have selected music that reflects their culture and heritage.

Argentina uses 'El Matador' by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs as both a warm-up and goal celebration song. While many fans associate the title with football heroics, the song was originally written about political violence and Latin American dictatorships during the 1970s.

Ghana has adopted DopeNation’s 2025 hit 'Kakalika' as both its signature and goal anthem, reflecting a blend of traditional Ghanaian and modern global music influences.

Mexico selected several tracks from Mariachi Vargas, one of the country's most iconic mariachi ensembles, while South Korea has embraced K-pop with songs from international stars such as BTS and Blackpink.

Mbappé, Daft Punk and goal celebrations

When Kylian Mbappé scores for France, stadiums erupt to Daft Punk’s 'One More Time', a fitting choice for one of football's most prolific goalscorers.

Other notable selections include:

These tracks help create a direct connection between national teams and their supporters.

How 'Wonderwall' became England’s World Cup anthem

One of the tournament's biggest musical stories has been the emergence of Oasis’ 'Wonderwall' as England's unofficial anthem.

The song gained momentum after England's opening 4-2 victory over Croatia, when thousands of supporters joined in an impromptu singalong.

England captain Harry Kane described the moment as one of his favourite experiences representing the national team.

“We have that connection right now, but that moment, singing ‘Wonderwall’ in the stadium — everyone knew the words — was really special,” he said.

The popularity of the song has since made it a regular fixture at England matches.

New anthems emerging

The United States has also seen supporters embrace John Denver’s 'Take Me Home, Country Roads', which has quickly become a crowd favourite.

The adoption of the song comes as American football fans continue searching for a distinctive supporter culture comparable to those seen in traditional football nations.

While some observers believe the connection still feels new, others argue that repeated use during major tournaments could eventually transform the song into a lasting football tradition.

The sound of the 2026 World Cup

With 48 teams participating for the first time, the 2026 World Cup's playlists offer a unique snapshot of global football culture, blending rock, pop, electronic music, mariachi, reggae, Afrobeats and K-pop.

From Wonderwall echoing through stadiums after England victories to Daft Punk celebrating French goals, the tournament's soundtrack is proving that music has become as much a part of the World Cup experience as the action on the pitch.