FIFA is under major scrutiny due to the questions being raised about the famous Shakira’s 2010 track Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)‘s royalties. The song has billions of views and has garnered attention for its motivating spirit and football, altogether.
Having earned royalties for the game’s governing body, which is thought to be at least £7million, it remains unclear where the amount has gone (via The Times, published on September 5, 2025). Has it vanished in thin air, or is there much more that needs to be uncovered?
Sony has made innumerable attempts to talk to the body about it, but they’ve been unsuccessful. A spokesperson (via The Times) commented that,
For the past 15 years, Sony Music has paid, and continues to pay, the designated royalties from the official World Cup version of the song to FIFA, which oversees distribution to the selected charities chosen by the artists on the track.
Let’s uncover in depth what the South African band, Freshlyground, has to say on the matter.
Freshlyground Questions: Where Did Waka Waka Money Go?
The band featured in the recording and even performed with the ‘Loca’
Somewhere, it is known that the governing body has used the amount on 15 of its football facilities, but apparently, in 2014, the charity set up by the body to distribute the cash was shut down. FIFA said in a statement (via The Times) that,
[Our] total investment in the construction of the centres and the support to those organisations has been significantly higher than the revenues received by FIFA as royalties of the World Cup 2010 soundtrack.
Apart from this, the governing body quips that it continues to support 20 centres built as part of its 2010 legacy project. What’s true and what is not is only known by the football association.
The news for football fans is that the 2026 World Cup draw will be held in Washington, D.C., US Soccer was also taken aback by the surprise, as they had already planned to host related events in Las Vegas, such as a sponsors’ conference and a draw celebration.
Fifteen Years Later, Shakira’s Track Continues to Unite Fans
Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) is a worldwide liked track. The track lives in our minds. It has also positioned the singer’s influence in the music industry. It has an uplifting spirit that remains apt with its soccer relationship.
| Key Points | Details |
| Title | Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) |
| Singer | Shakira, ft. Freshlyground |
| Released Date | 7 May 2010 |
| Genre | Pop, Afro fusion, Afropop, and Soca |
| Length | 3:22 |
| Label | Epic Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Shakira, John Hill, and Golden Sounds |
To date, the song has recorded a banging 3.96 billion views on YouTube, making it one of the most-watched music videos by the ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ singer. The song also features the best soccer players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and has remained on the audience’s playlists ever since.
Even Billboard (published on December 31, 2019) included the song among the 50 essential Latin songs of the 2010s decade. The track has faced significant apprehensions, including plagiarism for similarities between the song and Zamina mina (Zangaléwa).
Though this was settled out of court (via The Observers, published May 13, 2010), it remained under scrutiny for the time being. The track also received a Guinness World Record for being one of the most-streamed FIFA World Cup songs.
As the debate continues, do you think that FIFA should be clearer about where they spent the millions? Drop in your thoughts below!
