Two of Afrobeats’ biggest names have touched down in Los Angeles. Nigerian superstars Rema and Davido are in town for their respective World Cup performances, as the global football tournament prepares to kick off across North America.
Rema will take the stage at the official United States Opening Ceremony on June 12 at SoFi Stadium. Davido performs two days earlier at the FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert on June 10 at the Crypto.com Arena.
The “Calm Down” hitmaker joins an international lineup for the Los Angeles opening ceremony. Rema will perform alongside Katy Perry, Future, Brazilian star Anitta, K-pop sensation LISA of BLACKPINK, and South African sensation Tyla.
The ceremony kicks off 90 minutes before the USMNT’s group stage match against Paraguay, with stadium gates opening four hours early for pregame entertainment. Organizers describe the event as a landmark celebration spanning all three host nations, the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Davido, who made history in 2022 as the first Nigerian artist to perform at a World Cup final, returns for another FIFA moment. He headlines the Countdown Concert at Crypto.com Arena alongside Major Lazer, Diplo’s electronic music project, and pop star Ava Max.
The World Cup performances mark Davido’s second consecutive World Cup appearance. Fans have celebrated his consistent presence on global stages, with some joking he has become the “king of involve me”.
Beyond the live shows, Nigerian artists dominate the official FIFA World Cup 2026 soundtrack album. Davido teams up with Major Lazer and Nelly Furtado for “No Place Like Home,” while Rema partners with LISA and Anitta for “Goals”. Burna Boy appears on the tournament’s official theme song “Dai Dai” with Shakira, and Ayra Starr joins Latto on “Show Me”.
Despite Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 tournament, Nigerian artists have secured prominent roles at football’s biggest event, proof of Afrobeats’ evolution from regional sound to global cultural export.
For Rema and Davido, these performances represent more than personal milestones. They showcase the growing global influence of African talent on the world’s biggest stages. As the World Cup kicks off, two Nigerian stars will help soundtrack the celebration, one at the countdown, one at the ceremony.
