Davido, Burna Boy, Rema, other artistes who have performed at major sporting events

Beyond stages and music platforms, Nigerian music has found a place on the world’s biggest sporting scenes, with Afrobeats stars now headlining major football events and drawing global attention. Th...

Published 21 Dec 2025

By Musa Adekunle

Davido in Offeriing fur coat at his New York show

Beyond stages and music platforms, Nigerian music has found a place on the world’s biggest sporting scenes, with Afrobeats stars now headlining major football events and drawing global attention.

That reality played out again on Sunday when singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, performed at the AFCON 2025 Kick-Off Concert in Rabat, Morocco.

The concert, held at the OLM Souissi Fan Zone, was free to the public and organised to build momentum ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Davido shared the stage with French Montana, Douaa Lahyaoui and Lartiste, turning the venue into a full-blown party.

Davido. Photo: Shared by David Adeleke via X

Fans sang word for word as Davido ran through hit songs including IF, Fall, Aye and Unavailable. At several points, the crowd loudly echoed lines such as “Money fall on you, banana fall on you,” as flags waved and phones stayed in the air.

The performance added to the excitement already building around the tournament, which will run through January.

For Davido, the AFCON appearance follows a familiar path.

In December 2022, he became the first Nigerian artiste to feature on a FIFA World Cup theme song when he performed Hayya Hayya (Better Together) at the Qatar World Cup draw ceremony. That moment stood out, especially as it marked his return to the stage after personal loss.

Other Nigerian artistes have also taken Afrobeats to some of football’s biggest platforms.

In June 2023, Burna Boy made history at the UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul. He performed Last Last and It’s Plenty during the Kick-Off Show, becoming the first Nigerian artiste to headline the Champions League opening ceremony.

Rema followed in October 2023 when he performed at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris. He delivered Calm Down before an audience filled with football’s biggest names, including Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. The moment was widely shared online and praised by event organisers.

Tems also joined the list in July 2025 after her halftime performance at the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Grammy-winning singer performed Love Me Jeje.

Beyond these moments, Nigerian music has continued to show up at major sporting events. Yemi Alade performed during the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, while Femi Kuti featured at the opening ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Artistes such as Wizkid, D’banj, Kizz Daniel, Fireboy DML and Patoranking have also appeared at international events tied to sports and pop culture, including NBA-related platforms.