How Nigerian Music Went from Pirated PES Mods to the FIFA World Cup Anthem

For many Nigerians, the first time they heard local music inside a football game was through pirated PES or Winning Eleven discs. Bootleg versions swapped in songs like 2Baba and Soul E’s “E Be Like Say,” even though Konami never officially licensed them. The official route came much later through FIFA. Nneka’s “Kangpe” appeared on FIFA 10, then Nigerian acts slowly gained space on the soundtrack. Obongjayar, Fireboy DML, Rema, Burna Boy, Pheelz, BNXN, Olamide, and others all appeared across later editions. That progress has not been steady. Some editions of EA Sports FC dropped Nigerian music completely, while others brought it back. The bigger milestone came when Davido featured on the 2022 World Cup anthem, and Burna Boy later joined Shakira on the official song for FIFA World Cup 2026. The article argues that Nigerian music has moved from being smuggled into football games by piracy to appearing on football’s biggest global stage. But it is still mostly there as a guest, not yet as the main act.

Use The App To Win ₦1m

Stories are shared by community members. This article does not represent the official view of NaijaWorld — the author is solely responsible for its content.