Ahead of the Qatar 2022 kick-off, a panel of British producers gathered in a Soho studio to dissect the arc of the World Cup anthem. From the raw terrace chant of "Ole, Ole, Ole" to the polished pop of Shakira's "Waka Waka", the question was what transforms a football song into a global phenomenon.
Simon Jones, a producer who worked on the 2010 Coca-Cola campaign, argued that the key was a "universal rhythmic hook". "Think of the clapping in 'Waka Waka', the 'nanana' in 'Vindaloo'. It's a call to action that transcends language." He pointed to the descending bassline of "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes, co-opted by fans in 2006 and later adapted by FIFA. "That riff is pure architecture. It's simple. It's repeatable. It works in a stadium or a living room."
Yet the panel cautioned against formula. "The worst anthems are the cynical ones," said producer Martha Grey, who mixed the 2014 official song "We Are One (Ole Ola)". "When you hear a focus-grouped chorus, you feel it. The best ones feel like they emerged from the crowd. They have a sense of accident."
That accident has a history. In 1982, the Mexican wave was captured in a studio in Buenos Aires. In 1998, the samba beat of "La Copa de la Vida" by Ricky Martin borrowed from the carnival. In 2010, the shakira track featured a South African accordion riff. "Each host country leaves a fingerprint," Grey noted. "But the hit must also travel. It cannot be too local, or it becomes a curiosity."
Jones disagreed on the geography of success. "The biggest singalong in history is not a FIFA track. It's 'You'll Never Walk Alone' from Liverpool. That has zero production value on the original. It's pure emotion run through a PA system." He argued that the commercial imperative of modern World Cup songs, tied to sponsorship and chart positions, often suffocates the raw energy of the terraces.
The panel reached a consensus: a World Cup anthem must balance two forces. It must feel official, a representation of the tournament, yet also feel unofficial, as if it belongs to the fans. "That is why 'Ole' has lasted 40 years," Jones said. "It has no brand. It has no date. It is a blank canvas for any celebration."
As of this week, the Qatar 2022 official anthem "Hayya Hayya (Better Together)" by American singer Trinidad Cardona has not yet cracked the global top 40. The producers offered a final analysis: "It's competent but risk-averse. It lacks the rhythmic quirk. It might be too produced."
Whether it will become a singalong remains uncertain. But the panel members agreed on one metric: if you hear a group of strangers humming it in a pub queue, it has succeeded.
For now, the terrace chants remain the gold standard. "Ole" is still played at every tournament. "Seven Nation Army" still echoes in stadiums. The commercial and the communal remain in a tug-of-war over the same three-minute airtime.
