American internet sensation and streaming personality, Darren Watkins Jr., popularly known as IShowSpeed, has thrown the global football community into a frenzy following the release of his self-acclaimed tournament anthem, “World Cup (Champions).”
The high-energy music video, which premiered on YouTube on June 1, racked up 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 triggered massive debates online, with football fans and digital commentators aggressively drawing comparisons between IShowSpeed’s indie anthem and the official FIFA soundtrack, “Goals,” by Lisa, Anitta, and Rema, ahead of the global showpiece kicking off on June 11 across 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.”