Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Burna Boy has opened up on how British pop star Ed Sheeran helped him secure a feature on “Dai Dai,” the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Colombian superstar Shakira.
Speaking during an interview with Capital FM, Burna Boy revealed that it was Ed Sheeran who first reached out to him about joining the project.
“He’s actually the first to call me about this because he’s the one who had my number. He hit me up and said we should do a World Cup song with Shakira and I said, ‘I’d love to work with Shakira, let’s do it,’” Burna Boy said.
The Afrofusion star also disclosed that Sheeran prepared him for the magnitude of performing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, warning him about the pressure that comes with such a global event.
“He had to give me a heads-up like, ‘Yo, you’re going to have to perform at the finals and all of that.’ He knows me… he knows how I get down,” Burna Boy said.
“He was like, ‘Yo, it’s going to be real stressful,’” he added.
Burna Boy went on to praise Sheeran, describing him as one of the most thoughtful and intelligent people he has worked with in the music industry.
“He’s just a very sensible and lovable guy… Ed is very smart, man. He always knows what he is doing,” he said.
Ed Sheeran is also credited as one of the songwriters on “Dai Dai,” alongside producer Alexander Castillo.
The collaboration comes after Shakira revealed that she waited 20 days for Burna Boy to submit his verse, adding that she was determined to have the Nigerian singer on the World Cup anthem.
She also described Burna Boy’s contribution as the “cherry on top,” saying his vocals took the song to “another level.”
Released as the official anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, “Dai Dai” celebrates unity, resilience and the spirit of football through a collaboration between two global music stars.
Source: Capital FM
