On June 1, Darren "IShowSpeed" Watkins Jr. released his own FIFA World Cup song, World Cup (Champions), which quickly gained traction online. Its YouTube upload received half a million views within two hours of going live and has accumulated almost four million views since.
IShowSpeed used this hype to make a public push on social media for the world football body to adopt World Cup (Champions) as one of the tournament's official anthems, and FIFA initially responded with a "we will be in touch" message. The song's football-inspired energy impressed fans and FIFA, which eventually recognized it on June 3.
Directed by Zach Madden and executive-produced by Slipz and Ames Ward, the video captures the high-energy, football-obsessed style IShowSpeed is known for. The Twitch star dons a Portugal jersey, a nod to his renowned love for Cristiano Ronaldo, with the song containing a beat seemingly built for stadium crowds.
Unlike Speed's 2022 hit World Cup, which focused more on the excitement of the tournament, Champions aims to be a more global anthem. The song specifically mentions every nation participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which has resonated well with fans looking for a track that represents the entire tournament.
Less than 24 hours after its release, Champions was dubbed by many as the "unofficial" anthem of the 2026 tournament. Fans even flooded social media with praise, with some starting online petitions for FIFA to officially adopt the track, comparing its energy to iconic World Cup songs by artists like Shakira.
?| BREAKING: FIFA World Cup’s official X account messaged Speed, confirming that his World Cup song “Champions” has been listed on the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Album ??? pic.twitter.com/PFI368agNj
— Speedy HQ (@IShowSpeedHQ) June 3, 2026
On June 3, during a livestream, Speed saw that FIFA had confirmed his song as part of its Official World Cup 2026 Album. The project contains 18 tracks and brings together some of the biggest names in global music ahead of the upcoming tournament across North America.
FIFA World Cup 2026 anthems
While FIFA has already announced its own official soundtrack, featuring major international artists like Shakira, Burna Boy, Daddy Yankee, and Tyla, Speed's song has managed to carve out its own space and viral buzz. In fact, apart from Shakira's effort, it won't be a stretch to say that Speed's song might be the next most preferred among fans.
FIFA has released a star-studded official album leading up to the tournament. Notable official singles include Dai Dai by Shakira and Burna Boy, given the honor of the lead official anthem of the tournament as it continued Shakira's long-standing legacy of FIFA World Cup songs (following her 2010 hit Waka Waka).
Game Time by Future and Tyla is a high-energy, stadium-ready anthem produced by four-time Grammy winner Cirkut, characterized by heavy brass and booming percussion. Moreover, the broader official soundtrack includes contributions from artists such as Daddy Yankee, Shenseea, Jelly Roll, Carin Leon, and others as part of the ongoing rollout.
Even the Core Boys' (former FaZe Clan members) unofficial World Cup song, OLAY, caused a stir when it was released in mid-May. The upbeat, football-themed anthem was created by popular streamer Maxwell " PlaqueBoyMax" Dent alongside The Core Boys members, including Rani "Stableronaldo" Netz, Jason "Jasontheween" Nguyen and Jerry "Silky" Woo. It was conceptualized as a fun, fan-driven track to build hype for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
While these official and fan-made anthems have made a splash, followers have also come up with their own FIFA World Cup soundtracks, including many born out of AI-generated software. The trend seemingly began with Imbattables, a song dedicated to the French team that was released in February by artist Crystalo, listed on Spotify as France's "premier AI musical creator".
Many other football fans across the globe have used artificial intelligence to mass-produce viral songs in support of their teams. These tracks have become popular on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, raking in millions of plays.
However, questions about song ownership, artist compensation, and the valuation of human creativity have sullied these creative endeavors. Luckily, Speed's effort has no such issues, and it remains to be seen if FIFA hands it official status ahead of the World Cup's kickoff later this month.
The FIFA World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across 16 cities in three North American countries: the US, Canada and Mexico. Apart from traditional broadcasting, this beloved football tournament will be livestreamed on TikTok (parts of matches at a dedicated hub on the app) and via watch parties on the channels of select YouTube streamers. A few prominent influencers will also stream all the matches for free, like Brazilian superstar Casimiro "CazéTV" Miguel, in Brazil.
Header image via IShowSpeed on YouTube
