Fans say 'cancel the World Cup' after hearing first official song

The first official song of the 2026 World Cup has been released but it has not gone down well among fans.

The World Cup is just months away as USA, Canada and Mexico will host this summer's competition.

It will be the first World Cup to include 48 teams, an expansion from 32.

Ahead of the tournament getting underway in North America, FIFA have been rolling out announcements, including a 'game-changing partnership' with YouTube, who will be able to stream a select number of matches in full via the official broadcasters.

And FIFA have also released the first official song of the World Cup, with Jelly Roll collaborating with Carin Leon.

The two artists have linked up for a new track titled 'Lighter', which serves as the first single from the World Cup's official album.

The collaboration sees Roll's country and Southern-influenced style marry with Leon's Mexican sound, symbolising a global and multicultural vibe that the tournament aims to deliver.

It also features production from Canada's Cirkut, who won the 2026 Grammy for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.

The World Cup album was first teased by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who promised a 'magical' project to celebrate the game.

A post on FIFA's official account read: "Established stars and new voices representing different styles and different cultures from around the world are collaborating to create one global rhythm that will celebrate our beautiful game."

Fans on social media, however, aren't convinced with the track and even joked that the whole tournament should be 'cancelled'.

One X user wrote: "Cancel the whole damn tournament."

A second added: "World Cup songs really fell off, we went from this masterpiece from Shakira to a song by someone called Jelly Roll," while another joked: "Feels more like a WWE pay preview theme song."

Another said: "It lacks energy, emotion, and that unforgettable vibe a tournament anthem should have. I gave it a chance, but it feels generic and forgettable."

More songs will be released from FIFA's official album but judging by 'Lighter', people should expect a global fusion of genres to reflect the cultural energy of the North American hosts.