World Cup (Champions)

"World Cup (Champions)"
IShowSpeed standing in a group of people; with various flags flying in the background.
Single by IShowSpeed
from the album Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album
Language
  • English
  • Spanish
ReleasedJune 1, 2026 (2026-06-01)
Genre
Length4:58 (music video)
4:15 (streaming)
Label
Songwriters
Producers
IShowSpeed singles chronology
"I Know"
(2025)		 "World Cup (Champions)"
(2026)
2026 FIFA World Cup singles chronology
"Game Time"
(2026)		 "World Cup (Champions)"
(2026)		 "Siir Siir"
(2026)
Music video
"World Cup (Champions)" on YouTube

"World Cup (Champions)"[b] is a song by American influencer, musician, and online streamer IShowSpeed, released on June 1, 2026 through Warner Records,[a] and SALXCO.[6][7] The song was released in anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as an unofficial anthem but was later included on the tournament's official album as one of its official singles.[8][9][10] It was produced by BongoByTheWay, Pink Slip, and RiotUSA and written by Darren Watkins Jr. alongside Doobie Newton, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr., Kyle Buckley, Olivier Francois, Shawn Shea and Vicente Jimenez Gomez del Barco.

The music video, directed by Zach Madden, was filmed in Miami and features stadium-inspired settings with national flags and colored powder effects.[4]

The song received positive reviews from contemporary critics. It became IShowSpeed's third song to chart on the Official Charts Company's Video Streaming chart alongside "World Cup" and "Higher".[11] IShowSpeed later performed the song at the closing ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.[12][13]

Background and release

In November 2022, IShowSpeed released the song "World Cup" as a single through Warner Records in the leadup to the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar.[14] "World Cup" gained viral attention with the song's music video receiving 3.9 million views in 18 hours,[15] charting in multiple countries.[16][17]

In early 2026, speculation emerged that Speed was preparing a new football-themed song in connection with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[18] Reports followed the circulation of behind-the-scenes footage showing him filming a large-scale production in Miami.[18] Images and videos from the shoot showed stadium-inspired settings, national flags, football jerseys, and production equipment, including camera crews and drones.[18]

In May 2026, while conducting a travel livestream series throughout the Caribbean, he revealed that the World Cup would be his next focus, with plans for a North American tour to follow the tournament's matches.[19]

"World Cup (Champions)" was released on June 1, 2026 ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[8] The song was written by Darren Watkins Jr. alongside Doobie Newton, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr., Kyle Buckley, Olivier Francois, Shawn Shea and Vicente Jimenez Gomez del Barco, while production was handled by BongoByTheWay, Pink Slip, RiotUSA and Shonci.[20]

Composition

The song chorus is built around a stadium-sized crowd chant "Oh, ayy-oh, ayy-oh, ayy-oh / Let's go, we the champions". A secondary refrain repeats the directive: "Put your flags up in the air / Put your hands up in the air / Put your flags up 'cause this is the World Cup / Put your flags up, leave 'em there." The chord progression in the song is E♯ minor, G♯, Bm, D♯.[21][c]

Music video

The accompanying music video was directed by Zach Madden, with cinematography by Joanna Nguyen and creative direction provided by Barely Manic and Wyatt Richards.[19] The video was executive produced by Slipz and Ames J. Ward. The video production draws influence from Ghanaian culture,[23] including appearances by traditional dancers and choreographed performance that attracted attention from audiences in multiple countries.[6]

The music video was filmed in Miami and features Watkins in stadiums with national flags and colored powder effects. Throughout the video, he is seen wearing a Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal national team jersey.[24] The video used extras from surrounding South Florida, including college students from Florida International University. The extras were not told what the video was for until the day of filming; the video was filmed one week before it was released to the public.[25]

The music video received 3.3 million,[26] views on YouTube within less than 24 hours of its release and had received over 8.3 million views by June 3, 2026, two days after its release.[27][28] As of July 28th, 2026, the music video has received over 105 million views on YouTube.[29]

Reception

Writing for LOS40, Sergio P. Naranjo described the song as a straightforward yet effective football anthem, highlighting that its chorus and upbeat rhythm helped it resonate with younger audiences.[30] The Times of India noted that the song quickly gained attention online and was embraced by many supporters as an unofficial anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, attributing its success to its celebratory football theme and widespread circulation on social media.[31] Independent Online noted that unlike the usual highly polished, pop-star tournament anthems, IShowSpeed delivered a track that felt like it was truly made by a football fan, for football fans.[6]

Billboard included "Champions" in its curated list of the best 2026 FIFA World Cup songs, describing the track as driven by hard-hitting drums, passionate crowd chants, and an energetic rhythm blending elements of EDM, Brazilian funk, and Mariachi.[1]

Writing for The Guardian about the live music of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, Alexis Petridis criticized the song's production, writing and iShowSpeed's obscurity, describing the artist as an "influencer-cum-professional wrestler" whose online celebrity did not translate to mainstream recognition, and the song itself as "a frightful cocktail of thunderous drums and autotuned vocals [featuring] lyrics that make your average football song sound as erudite and profound as the oeuvre of Leonard Cohen".[32]

Fans debate and divided reception

The song generated division online, with football fans and digital commentators drawing comparisons between "World Cup (Champions)" and the official FIFA soundtrack single "Goals," performed by Lisa, Anitta, and Rema. Supporters of "World Cup (Champions)" argued that the track possessed a more organic quality than the official anthem.[33] Fans also started online petitions requesting that FIFA formally adopt the song as the primary anthem of the tournament,[34] comparing its energy to World Cup songs by artists such as Shakira.[35][36][37]

NewsX issued a fact check regarding allegations that the song had overtaken the official anthem "Dai Dai".[38] In regard to this particular claim, the media outlet found that the numbers of 120 million views for "World Cup (Champions)" and 70 million for "Dai Dai" on their respective days was grossly exaggerated without any verification.[38] Despite this, NewsX report indicated that the claim about the general success of "World Cup (Champions)" compared to "Dai Dai" is indeed very true.[38] It was further noted in the fact check that "Dai Dai" had an edge over "World Cup (Champions)" when it came to audio streaming sites such as the Billboard Global 200. This was largely due to radio airplay internationally.[38]

FIFA response

Following the song's release, IShowSpeed publicly tagged FIFA on social media, asking them to consider "World Cup (Champions)" as the tournament's official anthem.[4] FIFA responded directly with the message: "We will be in touch".[39] The reply went viral and generated widespread speculation about the possibility of a formal partnership.[4]

On June 3, 2026, the song was officially added to the tracklist for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Album.[40][41][42] Following its viral reception, FIFA reached out to Speed via social media to confirm its inclusion, saying "We heard it. We liked it. It's on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album".[10][43][3]

Commercial performance

Following the song's release, "World Cup (Champions)" debuted at number 8 on the United Kingdom's Video Streaming chart,[2] becoming IShowSpeed's third song to chart on the Video Streaming chart alongside "World Cup" and "Higher",[11] and jumped to number 3 the following week.[44] The song also charted on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart at number 33,[45] and on the Dutch Single Tip chart.[46] Following the performance of the song at the final, the song saw a 61% increase in streams.[47]

Live performances

IShowSpeed performed "World Cup (Champions)" live during the closing ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, held on July 19, 2026, at New York New Jersey Stadium.[48][49] He was accompanied on stage by a troupe of drummers and dancers dressed in brightly coloured tracksuits.[50] According to Speed, the invitation to perform came directly from FIFA, and he has said that he initially assumed the call was a prank before realizing the offer was genuine.[51]

The performance was criticized on social media, with many people thinking that he had not sung his vocals live, but had lip-synced to pre-recorded songs.[52]

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Album liner notes.

  • Darren Watkins Jr. – lead vocals, songwriting
  • Doobie Newton – songwriter
  • Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. – songwriter
  • Kyle Buckley – songwriter
  • Olivier Francois – songwriter
  • Shawn Shea – songwriter
  • Vicente Jimenez Gomez del Barco – songwriter
  • BongoByTheWay – producer
  • Pink Slip – producer
  • RiotUSA – producer
  • Shonci – producer

Charts

Chart performance for "World Cup (Champions)"
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Netherlands (Single Tip)[46] 10
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[45] 33
UK Video Streaming (Official Charts)[2] 3
Vietnam Hot 100 (Billboard Vietnam)[53] 16

Release history

Release history and formats for "World Cup (Champions)"
Region Date Format Label
Various June 1, 2026 Digital download, streaming

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 under exclusive license from IShowSpeed, LLC.
  2. ↑ Also alternately titled as "Champion",[2][3] "Champions",[4] or "Champions (WC 26)" on the streaming release.[5]
  3. ↑ "World Cup (Champions)" Chords alt progression.[22]

References

  1. 1 2 Roiz, Jessica; Raygoza, Isabela (June 5, 2026). "World Cup 2026: 'Dai Dai,' 'Champions,' 'El Último Baile,' 'Jump' & More Best Songs to Celebrate". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Chart history of Champion". Official Charts. Archived from the original on June 6, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "FIFA unveils Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Album squad for the biggest FIFA World Cup in history". inside.fifa.com. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Bhargava, Yagya (June 2, 2026). "FIFA Acknowledges IShowSpeed's Anthem Request for 2026 World Cup: 'We Will Be in Touch'". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Champions (WC 26)". Spotify. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Cupido, Gerry (June 3, 2026). "Is IShowSpeed's 'World Cup Champions' song the real FIFA anthem fans wanted?". Independent Online. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  7. ↑ Babalola, Seyi (June 2, 2026). "IShowSpeed sparks reactions with unofficial 2026 World Cup song". The Sun. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  8. 1 2 Turner-Williams, Jaelani (June 1, 2026). "Listen to IShowSpeed's 2026 FIFA World Cup Song "World Cup (Champions)"". Complex Magazine. Archived from the original on June 3, 2026. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  9. ↑ "IShowSpeed releases Champions ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026; fans want it as official anthem". mirchi.in. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "FIFA adds IShowSpeed's viral 'Champions' song to 2026 World Cup album". Cape Town ETC. June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  11. 1 2 "ISHOWSPEED songs and albums | full Official Chart history". Official Charts. Archived from the original on December 11, 2025. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  12. ↑ Holaday, Carsen (July 19, 2026). "Who is IShowSpeed? The viral internet personality performing at the 2026 World Cup closing ceremony". The Independent. New York City. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  13. ↑ Bubel, Jennifer (July 19, 2026). "What is IShowSpeed performing at the World Cup Final closing ceremony?". Diario AS. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Cincinnati's IShowSpeed gears up for "World Cup" with new anthem". HipHopCanada. November 10, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  15. ↑ "YouTube and social media star IShowSpeed releases his own World Cup song". SPORTbible. May 29, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  17. ↑ "WORLD CUP". Official Charts. Archived from the original on December 12, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 "Is IShowSpeed working on a FIFA World Cup 2026 song? Behind-the-scenes footage sparks major fan speculation". The Times of India. May 30, 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  19. 1 2 Macaraan, Jeric (June 1, 2026). "IShowSpeed premieres his new 'World Cup Champions' anthem". Rolling Out. Archived from the original on June 3, 2026. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  20. ↑ "IShowSpeed's viral 'Champions' song officially added to FIFA World Cup 2026 album". inkl. June 3, 2026. Archived from the original on June 10, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  21. ↑ "คอร์ดเพลง World Cup (Champions) IShowSpeed | dochord.com". www.dochord.com (in Thai). Retrieved June 12, 2026.
  22. ↑ Misc Soundtrack - Fifa World Cup 2026 - World Cup Champions (Chords), retrieved June 13, 2026
  23. ↑ "VIDEO: iShowSpeed Flies Ghana's Flag High Again As Global Superstar Features It In New World Cup Music Video - Fashion GHANA". June 2, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  24. ↑ Bhargava, Yagya (June 4, 2026). "FIFA Names IShowSpeed's 'Champions' to Official 2026 World Cup Album". Athlon Sports.
  25. ↑ Vargas, Daniela (June 22, 2026). "Kendall student gets front-row role in IShowSpeed's viral World Cup video". Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  26. ↑ "IShowSpeed's FIFA World Cup 2026 Song 'Champions' Goes Viral, Gets 3 Million Views In 13 Hours On YouTube". NDTV Profit. June 2, 2026. Archived from the original on June 6, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  27. ↑ Apanpa, Olaniyi (June 2, 2026). "IShowSpeed Releases 2026 World Cup Anthem, Gets Unexpected Response From FIFA". www.legit.ng. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  28. ↑ Cupido, Gerry. "Is IShowSpeed's 'World Cup Champions' song the real FIFA anthem fans wanted?". Mercury. Archived from the original on June 3, 2026. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  29. ↑ Watkins Jr., Darren (June 1, 2026). IShowSpeed - World Cup (Champions) [Official Music Video] (Video). Retrieved June 23, 2026 – via YouTube.
  30. ↑ Herrero, Juan Ignacio (June 3, 2026). "IShowSpeed planta cara a Shakira con su canción para el Mundial 2026: 'World Cup (Champions)'". LOS40 (in European Spanish). Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  31. ↑ "IShowSpeed's new World Cup anthem 'Champions' has fans calling it FIFA 2026's unofficial song". The Times of India. June 2, 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on June 2, 2026. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  32. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (July 19, 2026). "Hits, misses and Muppets: the star-studded World Cup half-time show nobody asked for". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Controversy as Ishowspeed drops unofficial 2026 World Cup anthem". Punch Newspapers. June 2, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  34. ↑ "IShowSpeed's World Cup song goes viral — Fans demand it replace official FIFA anthem". Northeast Herald. June 2, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  35. ↑ "IShowSpeed Vs Shakira: How A YouTube Streamer Is Winning The 2026 World Cup Song War". Ndtv.com. June 2, 2026.
  36. ↑ "Is IShowSpeed replacing Shakira as the face of FIFA World Cup music? Fans cannot stop talking about viral anthem". The Times of India. June 2, 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  37. ↑ Shome, Pavitra (June 4, 2026). "FIFA World Cup anthem war: IShowSpeed's song is overshadowing Shakira's work due to these reasons". Firstpost.
  38. 1 2 3 4 Bhattacharyya, Debayan (June 2, 2026). "Fact Check: Did IShowSpeed's "Champions" Get 120M Views and Beat Shakira's Official World Cup Anthem?". NewsX. Archived from the original on June 3, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
  39. ↑ Apanpa, Olaniyi (June 2, 2026). "IShowSpeed Releases 2026 World Cup Anthem, Gets Unexpected Response From FIFA". www.legit.ng. Archived from the original on June 3, 2026. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  40. ↑ "IShowSpeed's Champions joins official FIFA World Cup 2026 album". Daily Times Of Bangladesh. June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  41. ↑ Persad, Max (June 4, 2026). "FIFA World Cup 2026 soundtrack announced including hits from The Rolling Stones, IShowSpeed and Stormzy". Official Charts.
  42. ↑ Surana, Amisha (June 4, 2026). "IShowSpeed's 'Champions' joins official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album". Business Upturn. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  43. ↑ Bhargava, Yagya Bhargava (June 3, 2026). "FIFA Delivers Decision on IShowSpeed's World Cup Song: "We Heard It. We Liked It."". Yahoo Sports. Archived from the original on June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Official Video Streaming Chart on 12/6/2026 - Official Charts". Official Charts.
  45. 1 2 "Hot 40 Singles". RMNZ. Archived from the original on June 12, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
  46. 1 2 "DC Tip 30 – 20/06/2026" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
  47. ↑ Rutherford, Kevin (July 21, 2026). "Which Artist Got the Biggest Boost Performing at the World Cup?". Billboard Magazine. Archived from the original on July 22, 2026. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  48. ↑ Oyelakin, Saheed (July 19, 2026). "VIDEO: IShowSpeed performs 'Champions' at World Cup final closing ceremony". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  49. ↑ "IShowSpeed kicks off World Cup closing ceremony in blaze of colour". Yahoo Sports. July 19, 2026. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  50. ↑ "World Cup final kicks-off with star-studded opening". bbc.com. July 19, 2026. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  51. ↑ Sanchez, Sanchez (July 14, 2026). "What is iShowSpeed performing at World Cup Closing Ceremony? Secret revealed". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  52. ↑ "World Cup final show slammed as 'lip-syncing contest' after IShowSpeed's performance". The Independent. July 20, 2026. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  53. ↑ "Vietnam Hot 100: Week of June 20, 2026". Billboard Vietnam. Retrieved June 18, 2026 – via Facebook.
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