When watching the World Cup and hearing the music in the stadium, you may wonder: how is that chosen? Is it just a coincidence that “Wonderwall” plays in England after matches? Is ‘Freed from Desire’ or ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ always played? And why?
The numbers are not random. Hundreds, according to the world football governing body FIFA, even more than 750, are chosen in advance. FIFA has a Stadium Entertainment Team that works with participating national associations to create playlists that combine stadium classics with country-specific favorites.
Each team has a ‘signature’ song that is played when its lineup is announced, a warm-up song and a song that is played when it scores a goal. And one group of fans gets to sing along to the winning team’s song after each game.
The playlists provide an interesting cultural snapshot of the World Cup, in which 48 teams participated for the first time in 2026.
Some songs, like The White Stripes’ «Seven Nation Army,» AC/DC’s «Thunderstruck» and, yes, Gala’s 1990s Eurodance hit «Freed from Desire,» which has been making the rounds in sports stadiums for at least a decade, have a global reach, appearing on more than one list.
Songs like these that become popular have certain things in common. They should be catchy, fun and relatable, says Andrew Lawn, the British author of “We Lose Every Week: The History of Football Chanting.”
Context is also critical, he added.
“They are associated with a moment if that moment is successful,” he said. “Then they stick around because that kind of emotion kind of becomes attached to the song.”
Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” is an example of that, he said. Long popular with sports fans of all stripes, it caught on with England supporters in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when its lyrics about ‘touchin’ hands, reachin’ out, touchin’ me, touchin’ you’ took on particular resonance after months of isolation and lockdowns.
Mariachi for men at work
Other numbers are country specific.
For example, Argentina has chosen “El Matador” by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs as its warm-up and goal song. The song, with the chorus «Matador! Matador!» may sound like it’s celebrating Lionel Messi’s lethal goal-scoring skills.
But the reggae-influenced song is much darker: it is about Latin American dictatorships and state violence of the 1970s.
DopeNation’s irresistible 2025 dance song ‘Kakalika’ is both the signature and target song for Ghana. The Ghanaian duo behind it have described it as a blend of national and global music styles and languages that aims to embrace diversity and encourage listeners to enjoy.
FIFA says more than 750 songs have been chosen in advance for the World Cup, with each team having its own signature, warm-up and goal song. | Photo credit: REUTERS
FIFA says more than 750 songs have been chosen in advance for the World Cup, with each team having its own signature, warm-up and goal song. | Photo credit: REUTERS
Mexico chose three different songs from Mariachi Vargas, a mariachi folk band that was founded in 1897, has gone through several generations and is still going strong, while South Korea opted for a selection of K-pop songs from the likes of Blackpink and BTS.
When Kylian Mbappé scores another goal for France, supporters can sing along to the lyrically appropriate “One More Time” by French electronic duo Daft Punk. Australia’s signature tune is the classic “Down Under” by Men At Work, while the Belgian warm-up is the techno anthem “Pump Up the Jam” by Technotronic.
Sometimes the song choice evolves during the tournament in response to fan reactions. Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’ has become a regular feature following the success following England’s first World Cup match of 2026, a 4-2 win over Croatia, as supporters sang along.
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It was one of his favorite moments ever in an England shirt, connecting the team with the fans, captain Harry Kane told the in-house show Lions’ Den.
“We have that connection now, but that moment, when we sang ‘Wonderwall’ in the stadium, everyone knew the words, was very special,” he said.
Likewise, John Denver’s «Take Me Home, Country Roads» has quickly become a favorite for an American supporter base that has been criticized online for its somewhat unimaginative «USA! USA!» sing.
The lack of a distinctive chant is a reflection of a more commercial and distributed sports culture, and for now the adoption of the Denver song, as fun as it is, may feel a bit artificial, Lawn said.
“The whole American football culture feels a little forced right now” because it is still relatively new, he said.
“(But) if it sticks, it will be a great example and if it is still being sung in thirty years, you will really feel like it is authentic.”
Published on July 5, 2026
