Shakira, the iconic Colombian singer, is set to perform at the World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico this evening. The 49-year-old artist will take the stage in Mexico City alongside Burna Boy and other artists before the hosts' match against South Africa.
A Long History with the World Cup
Shakira has once again been entrusted with creating the official World Cup song, releasing "Dai Dai" for the 2026 tournament. This comes 16 years after her 2010 hit "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)," which became synonymous with the World Cup in South Africa.
It was during the making of that song that Shakira met her ex-husband, Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué, who appeared in the music video. The singer has jokingly referred to her children as the "Waka kids," crediting the World Cup song for their existence. In an interview with People, she said: "In 2010, which is when I met the father of my kids, who was playing during that World Cup. That's why I call my kids the ‘Waka' kids; I think they were born because of that song."
Family and Heartbreak
The couple moved to Barcelona and had two sons, Milan (born 2013) and Sasha (born 2015). They announced their separation in 2022 following allegations of infidelity. The breakup occurred while Shakira's father was seriously ill, and she described it as her "darkest moment." Speaking to The Times, she said: "[I was living through] the darkest moment - when I saw the dissolution of my family. The family that I had dreamt to keep forever."
However, Shakira believes the experience made her stronger. She told The Times: "I've been through so much pain, but it has made me perhaps in an unforeseen way a wiser person - or stronger, at least... It's amazing to learn that humans have a resilience that we can resort to at any moment in our lives."
New Romance and Career Focus
In May, Shakira revealed she is not focusing on romance. She said: "No romance for me for now. There's no space or time in my life for that. My plate is quite full. My kids are my priority, and my career. Strangely enough, I'm in love with my career as I've never been in my life. I'm enjoying my time alone as well."
Despite this, she has been linked to actor Lucien Laviscount, 34, who is 15 years her junior. The two met while filming her 2024 music video for "Punteria" and were later spotted having dinner in New York City.
A World Cup Regular
Shakira's World Cup appearances span two decades. She first performed at the 2006 closing ceremony in Germany with "Hips Don't Lie" alongside Wyclef Jean. In 2014, she headlined the closing ceremony in Brazil, performing "La La La (Brazil 2014)" with Carlinhos Brown while two months pregnant with Sasha. She kept the pregnancy private, but fans quickly guessed. She told People: "My fans, they saw me perform, and they're like, 'Shakira's pregnant.' And I was like a month pregnant — I was like two months maximum, but they know me so well."
Now, in 2026, Shakira returns to the World Cup stage, continuing a love story that began with a song and changed her life.
