The symbolism behind Shakira’s World Cup 2026 performance outfit

Golden hour showed up early at the World Cup.

Shakira took the field at MetLife Stadium on Sunday for the tournament’s first-ever halftime show drenched in the warm tones of a sunset — and covered in more than 200,000 Swarovski crystals.

The Colombian superstar performed “Dai Dai,” the official World Cup 2026 anthem with Burna Boy, in a custom Roberto Cavalli look designed by the house’s creative director, Fausto Puglisi.

The plunging lace-up bodysuit had deep side cutouts, and her long skirt was made from strips of hot pink and yellow chiffon that swished and swayed with the movement of her hips. The crystals — hand-embroidered over 120 hours across two weeks, according to Swarovski — sparkled in the stadium lights.

Puglisi told Vogue that Shakira requested the sunset color palette. He found his answer in Mexico City’s La Condesa neighborhood, where a particular pink building with an orange door and yellow window frames caught his eye during his travels.

“I wanted the look to feel strong, joyful, and celebratory — something that reflected the energy of the performance but also honored the significance of the occasion,” Shakira told the outlet.

The outfit also called back to the singer’s looks for her performances at opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where she performed “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”

The two looks — a neon crop top and silk-fringed skirt at the closing ceremony, and a black-and-white tribal-print set at the opening — were designed by Cavalli while its namesake designer still led the house. The late designer died in April 2024, and Puglisi has led the house since 2020.

Shakira told Vogue this weekend’s look was meant to bridge the two eras. “It’s a full circle moment — the colors are similar too,” she said. “We are paying tribute to the past and looking toward the future.”

The singer performed the bulk of her set barefoot before slipping on coordinating pink-and-yellow booties and gold Swarovski sunglasses to rejoin the stage alongside the PS22 Chorus for the show’s finale.

Her 34 backup dancers also wore Roberto Cavalli, appearing in two variations of the same sunset palette: a crisscross crop top with a matching skirt and a sleeveless tee with baggy trousers.

The halftime show at the Spain-Argentina final, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, also included performances by Madonna, Justin Bieber and BTS, with conductor Gustavo Dudamel leading the orchestra.