The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has confirmed Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Davido as a headline act for the World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles, kicking off a cross-continent celebration ahead of the expanded tournament.
The concert is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, at the http://Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT, with the live show set to begin at 6:00 p.m. PT. Davido will share the stage with Major Lazer, the music project led by American DJ and producer Diplo. FIFA said more special guests will be announced soon.
“Los Angeles will play host to a high-energy celebration, featuring Diplo’s Major Lazer and Davido, the first artists announced for what promises to be an unforgettable night of music, football and culture,” FIFA said in a statement.
The Los Angeles show is part of a “first-of-its-kind synchronised live concert series” across all three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Performances from L.A. will be linked with simultaneous events in Toronto and Mexico City, creating a cross-border celebration ahead of the competition.
The concert is being organized in collaboration with the Grammys. It will be broadcast globally through FIFA’s digital channels, with an exclusive social media livestream on TikTok via the official FIFA World Cup account. Full concert footage and behind-the-scenes content will be available the following day on FIFA’s video-on-demand platform, VuMe Live. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 3, at 10:00 a.m. PT.
Manolo Zubiria, FIFA World Cup 2026 Chief Tournament Officer for the United States, said the concert series reflects the spirit of the tournament.
“The Countdown Concert series celebrates the passion, unity and cultural connections across three countries and around the world that define the FIFA World Cup 2026”. He added that with the opening match just days away, Los Angeles would “deliver an unforgettable experience for football and music fans”.
The announcement extends Davido’s relationship with FIFA. In 2022, he featured on _Hayya Hayya (Better Together)_, the first official soundtrack of the Qatar World Cup, and performed at the tournament’s closing ceremony. His selection underscores “the growing influence of Afrobeats on the international stage”.
He’s not the only Nigerian artist tapped by FIFA for 2026. Rema has also been named among performers for the World Cup’s opening ceremonies, joining an international lineup that includes Katy Perry, Future, Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé, J Balvin and Lisa.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, will be the largest in history, featuring 48 teams for the first time. The Countdown Concert series is part of FIFA’s build-up activities to “ramp up excitement” ahead of the tournament.
With Los Angeles as one of the world’s premier entertainment capitals, FIFA says the June 10 show will bring together “music, football and fans in a global celebration as we prepare to welcome the world”.
