LISA, Anitta and Rema have made a World Cup song that represents three continents before anyone even kicks a ball. “Goals,” their collaboration for the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album, brings together a Thai K-pop superstar, a Brazilian pop powerhouse and one of Nigeria’s biggest Afrobeats exports. That’s an extraordinary amount of star power for one recording, and Grammy-winning producer Cirkut has the job of making three musical worlds fit together. The result is a rhythm-driven pop track designed for an international audience that already knows the excitement of hearing thousands of strangers celebrate the same thing at once.
The single and its accompanying music video are available now through SALXCO UAM and Def Jam Recordings. With Latin pop, Afrobeats and K-pop influencing the production, “Goals” reflects a music industry where audiences have become accustomed to finding their favourite artists thousands of miles from home.
And the three performers bring very different relationships with football, fame and international pop culture to the recording.
For Anitta, the World Cup is personal. Growing up Brazilian means football is woven into the country’s cultural identity, and the opportunity to contribute to the tournament’s official soundtrack carries a particular significance.
“My connection to the World Cup is deeply emotional. I’m Brazilian, after all, of course I have wonderful memories tied to the tournament,” she says.
It’s easy to understand her excitement. Brazil’s relationship with football extends through families, neighbourhoods, television broadcasts and national celebrations. A World Cup song featuring one of the country’s most recognizable pop artists arrives with an enormous emotional connection already built in.
LISA approaches the collaboration from another angle. As a member of BLACKPINK and a successful solo performer, she has spent years navigating audiences across languages and international markets. Working with Anitta and Rema puts that global experience into a song connected to one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
“Music always unites people across the world, so it has been an honor to work with Anitta and Rema,” she says.
Rema sums up the collaboration even more efficiently: “Three continents, one track.”
That’s the appeal of “Goals” in five words.
The Nigerian star represents the extraordinary international reach of Afrobeats, which has become a major presence in contemporary pop through its distinctive rhythmic language and increasingly frequent collaborations with artists from other musical traditions. His involvement gives the song another recognizable voice from a region where football occupies an enormous place in everyday culture.
Cirkut’s production brings those influences into a common framework, with a propulsive beat and an emphasis on rhythm. The challenge with a collaboration involving artists this recognizable is giving everybody room to contribute while maintaining the momentum of a single recording.
The FIFA soundtrack project has already taken a similarly international approach with its earlier releases. Los Ángeles Azules and Belinda contributed “Por Ella,” Daddy Yankee joined Shenseea on “Echo,” and Jessie Reyez collaborated with Elyanna on “Illuminate.” Each pairing brings together artists whose individual careers connect to different audiences and musical traditions.
The choice of collaborators says plenty about the way international pop music has developed. K-pop, Latin pop and Afrobeats now occupy major positions in global listening habits, supported by audiences who discover music through streaming, video and social platforms without treating language as an obstacle.
A tournament that brings together supporters from around the world provides a natural occasion for those sounds to share the same record.
There’s also something appropriately entertaining about a song called “Goals” featuring performers who have spent their careers reaching audiences far beyond their original home markets. LISA, Anitta and Rema have each helped establish that international success can begin in Bangkok, Brazil or Nigeria and continue almost anywhere.
The World Cup itself offers the kind of international exposure that few other events can provide. Its audience spans countries, languages and generations, with music accompanying everything from pre-match anticipation to enormous celebrations after the final whistle.
“Goals” arrives as part of that wider experience, with three major performers bringing their distinct musical identities into one recording.
LISA, Anitta and Rema have already built international careers on their own terms. Now they’ve put those careers together for a football song with a fittingly enormous audience.
The title practically writes its own headline. Fortunately, they’ve also made the record.