The soundtrack for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will have an Atlanta influence.
Producer Dallas Austin announced that he was selected to remix the official FIFA theme song as part of a larger initiative involving artists from host cities.
Like the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup takes place every four years. The 2026 competition is the largest yet, with 48 teams and 104 matches in cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In effort to promote diversity and creativity, along with Austin, FIFA recruited 15 other musicians to create Sonic IDs unique to their hometowns. The idea is that the musicians will develop jams that represent a host city’s culture.
Austin joins a list that includes Sango (Seattle), Tech N9ne (Kansas City) and DJ Jazzy Jeff (Philadelphia) putting their spin on FIFA’s current theme.
“We’re really excited to be a part of this. Thank you FIFA, thank you World Cup. Thank you ATL,” Austin said in a video message posted to his Instagram account.
Starting June 15, Atlanta will host eight World Cup matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, concluding with a semifinal showdown on July 15.
The tournament started incorporating theme songs and soundtracks in the 1990 edition, which took place in Italy. When the United States hosted the tournament in 1994, “Gloryland” by Daryl Hall and Sounds of Blackness got the nod.
Other past songs have come from Ricky Martin (1998) and Shakira (2010). Germany’s 2006 tracks included IL Divo and Toni Braxton’s “Time of Our Lives.” The most recent World Cup — which took place in 2022 in Qatar — came with an entire soundtrack.
From March 1 through March 16, FIFA will release a new Sonic ID and corresponding visuals, starting with Houston tropical bass outfit, Bombón.
“The project marks a milestone in the tournament’s legacy, blending global appeal with local flavor through music and sound,” according to a press release from FIFA, which noted that the soccer’s world governing body wants to create a musical anthology with the Sonic IDs.
“The Sound of Atlanta,” produced by Austin, will be released on March 6, and be available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and other platforms.
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