Grammy Award-winning Afrobeats star, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, made history on Sunday after becoming the first Nigerian artiste to perform at the FIFA World Cup final halftime show.
The singer shared the stage with Colombian superstar Shakira during FIFA’s inaugural halftime entertainment at the 2026 World Cup final held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States.
His appearance marked another milestone for Nigerian music on the global stage.
Although Femi Kuti, and Rema had previously performed at different FIFA World Cup events, Burna Boy became the first Nigerian artiste to perform during the World Cup final halftime show.
Burna Boy and Shakira performed Dai Dai, the tournament’s official anthem, before thousands of fans inside the stadium and millions watching across the world.
The duo had also performed the song during the tournament’s opening ceremony. This time, they were joined by Uganda’s Ghetto Kids, whose energetic choreography added colour to the performance.
The halftime entertainment also featured American music icons Madonna and Justin Bieber.
Madonna opened the show after the first half ended, while Bieber later performed an acoustic rendition of Everything Hallelujah.
Brazilian football legends Ronaldo Nazário and Ronaldinho also appeared before the crowd, receiving loud cheers from supporters inside the stadium.
The entertainment was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and lasted just over 27 minutes, longer than the traditional 15-minute halftime interval used in FIFA matches.
The extended break attracted mixed reactions, with some fans welcoming the new format while others questioned FIFA’s decision to introduce halftime entertainment to the World Cup final.
Former England striker Ian Wright joked about Ronaldinho’s oversized tracksuit, while former Manchester United captain Roy Keane admitted he was not entirely impressed.
“It was a bit of an anti-climax, but listen, it’s so nice to see Shakira,” Keane said.
For Burna Boy, however, the performance marked another defining moment in a career that has taken Afrobeats to some of the world’s biggest stages.
In recent years, Nigerian artistes have headlined festivals, sold out stadiums and arenas across Europe and North America, while also contributing official songs for major international sporting events. Sunday’s performance further reinforces the genre’s growing influence beyond the music industry.
