Burna Boy Criticized for World Cup Halftime Show

Burna Boy received criticism for his performance with Colombian singer Shakira during the halftime show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. They performed the official anthem, "Dai, Dai," as part of FIFA's inaugural halftime entertainment, which also included Madonna and Justin Bieber.

Social commentator Daniel Regha criticized Burna Boy for not including any Nigerian languages in his verses, despite having multiple lines in the song. He noted that Shakira effectively promoted her culture through the use of Spanish, while Burna Boy did not incorporate Nigerian Pidgin or any native languages, missing an opportunity to showcase Nigeria's cultural identity.

The performance drew mixed reactions, with former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo expressing support for the innovation, provided it did not disrupt the match, while former Manchester United captain Roy Keane found it underwhelming. Burna Boy has not publicly addressed the criticism.