American online superstar and streaming personality Darren Watkins Jr, also known as IShowSpeed, has sent the entire football community into a frenzy with the release of his self-proclaimed tournament anthem, “World Cup (Champions)”.
The high-energy music video, which debuted on YouTube on June 1, had over 3.3 million views and hundreds of thousands of likes in less than 24 hours.
The track heavily features infectious crowd chants representing various footballing nations, with a distinct spotlight shone on Ghana, a country where he holds honorary citizenship, complete with massive flags and traditional dancers.
Following the immediate viral success of the video, Watkins publicly tagged the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) on digital platforms, requesting that the track be adopted as the tournament’s official melody.
In a swift response that sent shockwaves through the internet, FIFA’s verified handle replied, “We will be in touch.”
The development has sparked heated debates online, with football fans and digital commentators aggressively comparing IShowSpeed’s indie anthem to the official FIFA soundtrack, “Goals” by Lisa, Anitta, and Rema, ahead of the global showpiece, which begins on June 11 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Reacting to the viral release, an X user, @yetunede, praised the content creator’s cultural representation, posting: “IShowSpeed putting Ghana on his back for this World Cup video is everything.
The energy, the flags, the dancers—this feels more organic and alive than the actual official song. Ghana to the world!”
Another commentator, @hindisilencio, echoed the sentiment, writing: “FIFA needs to stop overcomplicating things and just make this the official anthem.
Over 3 million views in less than a day for an independent release show exactly what the streets want to hear when the matches start.”
However, the track’s raw, chaotic internet style drew heavy criticism from sections of the music community who defended the artistic merit of the official soundtrack.
@Danyflamez3 tweeted, “People comparing this Speed video to Rema, Lisa, and Anitta’s ‘Goals’ must be joking.
One is a globally produced, multi-million-dollar masterpiece by Cirkut, and the other is just streaming noise. Let’s keep standard music separate from content creation.”
On his part, @lawizzygotswag raised concerns over the governing body’s response, stating, “FIFA saying ‘we will be in touch’ is hilarious but risky.
“You can’t sideline established global artists who spent months crafting a multilingual anthem just to chase clout with a YouTuber’s viral video at the eleventh hour.”
FIFA has yet to issue an official press statement addressing any formal changes to its musical lineup or opening ceremony program as of the time of reporting this report.
