Just recently, the FIFA Club World Cup announced Tems would be performing at the Finals of the competition that would take place on July 13, at the MetLife stadium in the USA, alongside fellow headliners American rapper Doja Cat and Latin artist J Balvin. This is the inaugural edition of the Competition that is set to take place every four years, just like the FIFA World Cup. The competition is set to kick off on June 14 and would see the likes of European giants like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Chelsea, PSG, Juventus alongside other top clubs from other part of the worlds like Al Hilal, Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Ahly, Flamengo, Inter Miami, others fighting it out to be crowned the Champions.
With Tems set to take her musical debut of performing on football’s biggest stage, we are now set to take a look at other Nigerian artists who have performed on football’s biggest stage, and as we all know, football and music are a good combo.
Here are 5 Nigerian artists who have performed at football’s biggest stages, such as the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, AFCON, and Ballon d’Or award ceremony.
1. Davido ( 2022 FIFA World Cup final)
Davido performed the official FIFA 2022 World Cup soundtrack “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)” alongside Aisha and Trinidad Cardona. He became the **first Nigerian artist to perform at a FIFA World Cup final event as he performed during the Closing ceremony of the Tournament in December 18, 2022.
Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final, defeating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 3-3 after extra time with Mbappe scoring an impressive Hattrick for his team on the biggest stage in world of football . Lionel Messi played a crucial role in Argentina’s victory, scoring twice in the final, including a penalty kick in the shootout.
Burna Boy (Champions League Final 2023)
Burna Boy delivered an epic performance at the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi, held at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. He co-headlined the event alongside Brazilian superstar Anitta, with Swedish DJ Alesso making a special guest appearance.
During his performance, Burna Boy showcased his signature soulful vibes of afrobeats, performing his global chart-toppers “Last Last” and “It’s Plenty”. The Nigerian superstar thrilled the 80,000-strong crowd, bringing his energy and infectious beats to the stage.
The 2023 UEFA Champions League Final saw Manchester City edge past Inter Milan 1-0, with Rodri scoring the winning goal in the 68th minute. Manchester City won their first champions league title on that night in Istanbul.
Yemi Alade ( Africa Cup of Nations Final 2023)
Yemi Alade performed at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations( which was played in 2024) in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. She teamed up with Magic System, an Ivorian band, and Egyptian singer Mohamed Ramadan to perform the official theme song, “Akwaba” (meaning “welcome” in the Baoule language).
The ceremony took place at the 60,000-capacity Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Ivory Coast. The final of the 2023 edition was between the host nation, the Ivory Coast, and Nigeria. Which Ivory Coast came out victorious 2-1 to be crowned Champions of Africa.
Rema (Ballon d’Or Award ceremony 2023)
On October 30, 2023, Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Rema made history by becoming the first African artist to perform at the prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. This groundbreaking moment marked a significant milestone for both Rema and the global recognition of African music. Rema delivered a captivating rendition of his chart-topping hit “Calm Down,”.
Mid-performance, Rema left the stage to engage with football players by exchanging handshakes with them while performing, such as Mbappe, Martinez, Bonmati, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, Gundogan, Ruben Dias, Rodri, Balde, Erling Haaland, and Bernardo Silva, amongst others.
The highlight of the show was Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or win as he was the biggest winner of the night.
D’banj (2013 Africa Cup of Nations)
Dbanj’s performed at 2013 Africa cup of nations final tournament’s closing ceremony, which took place at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
Dbanj’s performed “Top of the World” at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations final., The music video for “Top of the World” features clips of his performance, as well as highlights of the Super Eagles’ tournament run.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Final was contested between Nigeria and Burkina Faso on February 10, 2013, at the FNB Stadium. Nigeria won the cup, defeating Burkina Faso 1-0, The victory marked Nigeria’s third AFCON title, following wins in 1980 and 1994.
