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Oslo's weekly Afrobeats briefing: Nigeria claims four spots on the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album as Davido, Burna Boy, Rema, and Ayra Starr soundtrack the planet's biggest event.
Your weekly Oslo briefing on the culture, the scene, and the sounds.
The Story
When FIFA announced the official soundtrack for the 2026 World Cup, four of the eighteen spots went to Nigeria. Davido, Burna Boy, Rema, and Ayra Starr all feature on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album, released by FIFA Sound on June 5. The 18-track project has been described as the most extensive multi-track music initiative ever produced for a World Cup — and Nigeria's representation on it is not an accident.
This is the logical endpoint of a decade of Afrobeats going global. But a FIFA album is different from a streaming chart or a festival booking. It signals that a genre once described in Western press as "a trend" is now the sound of the world's largest recurring sporting event — one that will be watched by over three billion people across three host nations (the United States, Mexico, and Canada). Burna Boy, Rema, Ayra Starr, and Davido each represent a different era and lane within Nigerian music. Together on one album, they're a statement about depth, not just reach.
For Oslo's African music community — which has watched Rema sell out European venues and Burna Boy top Norwegian streaming charts — this moment lands differently. The World Cup is on. The soundtrack is Afrobeats.
Then, on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the album became a live performance. Rema joined LISA and Anitta on stage for the World Cup opening ceremony, performing "Goals" in front of a global broadcast audience that will ultimately reach three billion viewers. Tyla and Future performed "Game Time" in the same set. This is the scale at which Afrobeats is now operating: not just chart presence or streaming numbers, but the opening act of the planet's largest sporting event.
On the UK Official Afrobeats Chart (week of June 13), Tyla and Zara Larsson's "She Did It Again" remains at #1 — now in its seventh consecutive week. The next chart (June 14) will be the first to capture streaming from the Opening Ceremony. Watch that space.
Source: The Nation Nigeria, FIFA Sound, NBC Los Angeles, UK Official Afrobeats Chart (June 13, 2026). Album released June 5, 2026. Opening ceremony June 12, 2026.
Oslo Pulse
The World Cup has arrived in Oslo, and tonight's fixture is the one the city's African communities have circled: France vs Senegal kicks off at 21:00, Group I, in what is historically the most emotionally loaded match for Oslo's large Senegalese diaspora — 2002 still lives in the memory. SALT and Carls have screens up for the tournament; both are expected to draw crowds for the evening fixture. Iraq vs Norway follows at midnight — Norway's opening match of the tournament, which makes tonight a long one for the city.
Nigeria didn't qualify, but that hasn't quietened Oslo's Nigerian community. Instead, their attachment to this World Cup runs through music: Davido, Burna Boy, Rema, and Ayra Starr are all on the official soundtrack, and Rema just performed at the Opening Ceremony in front of three billion viewers. The connection to the tournament is real — it's just not through a national strip.
Two Oslo events to have on the calendar: Afrobeat Nights on Thursday June 19 — check afrobeatnights.com for lineup and venue — and the Afrobeats Oslo Summer Party on Saturday June 21, available on Billetto. June 21 is also Tunisia vs Japan in Group A, so the city will already be in a tournament mood. The summer Afrobeats calendar in Oslo is building toward what looks like a strong August.
Track Pick
Rema, LISA, Anitta — "Goals" — YouTube
This week's track was decided by 3 billion viewers on June 12. "Goals" opened the FIFA World Cup ceremony at SoFi Stadium, with Rema closing out a three-continent relay: LISA with a precision rap verse, Anitta moving through English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and Rema landing the melodic closing section that is by now his signature on any record he touches. Produced by Grammy-winning Cirkut alongside Tropkillaz and PinkSlip, released via SALXCO and Def Jam — the infrastructure behind this track is as global as the performance. What stays with you isn't the stadium spectacle but the structural clarity: three artists from three continents, each holding their own lane, with Afrobeats rhythm as the connective tissue.
Worth Reading
- The Nation Nigeria: Full list: Davido, Burna Boy, Rema, Ayra Starr named on official 2026 World Cup album — the announcement and full tracklist context from Nigeria's paper of record.
- Afrobeats Magazine: LISA, Anitta and Rema Unite for FIFA World Cup Anthem 'Goals' — production breakdown and context on the Opening Ceremony track: Cirkut-produced, Def Jam/SALXCO, three continents, one stadium anthem.
Looking Ahead
- Next week is Midsummer. June 23 is Sankt Hans in Norway — Jonsok, the bonfire night, the unofficial start of summer. It's also TWIA #3. Expect a Midsummer music angle.
- Next TWIA: June 23, 2026.
Published by Afrobeats.no Editorial. Corrections or tips: [email protected]