Carib Scope

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  • Belize Stands at Health Policy Crossroads Amid U.S. Concerns

    Belize Stands at Health Policy Crossroads Amid U.S. Concerns

    As of May 27, 2026, the small Caribbean nation of Belize finds itself caught between long-standing reliance on Cuban medical support and mounting diplomatic pressure from the United States, creating a tense policy standoff that tests the country’s sovereign decision-making. At the heart of the first dispute is the Cuban medical brigade, a program that has propped up Belize’s under-resourced public healthcare system for years, but which Washington has decried as a state-run forced labor and human trafficking operation.

    Multiple other nations across the Latin American and Caribbean region have already bowed to U.S. pressure and expelled Cuban medical teams in recent months, leaving Belize as one of the last remaining holdouts. In a public update on the ongoing negotiations, Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño laid out his government’s delicate balancing act: working to craft a compromise that satisfies both Washington’s demands and Belize’s need to retain qualified medical staff. Briceño emphasized that from the program’s launch, Belize has directly paid participating doctors rather than sending compensation to the Cuban government, a structure that already aligns with core U.S. requirements. The government’s current goal, he explained, is to reach a new agreement with Havana that allows individual brigade members to choose to remain in Belize voluntarily, formally confirming their independent employment status to address U.S. concerns.

    Beyond the medical brigade controversy, Briceño has also taken a clear, public stance against another recent U.S. action targeting Cuba: the indictment of 95-year-old former Cuban President Raúl Castro on charges of murder and conspiracy stemming from the 1996 shootdown of two unarmed civilian aircraft operated by a Cuban exile group. The incident killed four people, including three U.S. citizens and one U.S. permanent resident.

    Briceño called the indictment deeply troubling and unjustified, noting that the Cuban government had repeatedly warned the aircraft that they were violating Cuban sovereign airspace prior to the incident. “When it comes to Cuba, the Americans have a totally different outlook on that,” Briceño said. “It is certainly something small countries are concerned of, we in CARICOM. We have always taken the position of CARICOM. We are very concerned when any country starts to interfere with the sovereignty of any country.”

    For Belize, the dual disputes underscore the persistent challenges small Caribbean states face as they seek to uphold their own policy priorities amid competing geopolitical pressure from global powers, with the future of the country’s healthcare access and its stance on regional sovereignty hanging in the balance.

  • Where are the San Pedro Artisan Market Vendors?

    Where are the San Pedro Artisan Market Vendors?

    Months after being inaugurated with great fanfare and high expectations, San Pedro’s brand-new artisan market sits completely vacant, leaving community members and local vendors questioning the logic behind the project and its chosen location.

    The core of the controversy stems from widespread pushback among the artisans and small-scale vendors the market was built to serve. Many of these sellers have made it clear they prefer to remain at their long-standing original selling locations, rather than relocate to the newly constructed facility, leaving the modern building unused.

    Andre Perez, the Area Representative for Belize Rural South, has defended the government’s decision to greenlight the move, framing the relocation as a long-term strategic play rather than a misstep. In an interview with local reporters, Perez explained that the vacancy is temporary, tied to a broader multi-use development project planned for the Sacatchepas area. The upcoming project includes construction of a regional events center that will host a wide range of activities, from local sports tournaments to large-scale public concerts. Once completed, the development will also add a dedicated public parking lot and an upper-story multi-purpose space, requiring vendors to ultimately vacate their current spots to make way for the new amenities.

    Perez rejected claims that the new artisan market project is a failure, pointing out that the completed facility is structurally sound, aesthetically appealing, and offers scenic views that will draw visitors once vendors move in. “The building is there, it’s beautiful, it has an excellent view. When the time comes, they need to prepare. They know that they have to move. They will not be staying,” Perez told reporters.

    When pressed for a concrete timeline for the broader development project, Perez confirmed that local officials have targeted a completion window within the current calendar year, but acknowledged that funding constraints have slowed progress. While the events center project is considered a critical community need, other pressing public priorities have taken precedent for budget allocations, pushing back some phases of construction. Even so, Perez reaffirmed that the project remains on track to be completed, and once finished, vendors will be required to relocate to the already-built new artisan market.

    In a separate but related comment on local infrastructure development, Belize’s Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler used San Pedro’s ongoing dock project as a cautionary example, urging the country to accelerate upgrades to its public infrastructure. Mahler warned that if Belize fails to modernize its key tourism-related facilities, it risks losing its standing as one of the world’s top travel destinations.

    This report is adapted from a transcript of an evening television newscast, with original Kriol language speech transcribed using a standardized spelling system for publication.

  • Diaspora : Preparations for the general elections in Haiti

    Diaspora : Preparations for the general elections in Haiti

    On May 27, 2026, four key Haitian government agencies convened a critical working session to lay the groundwork for Haitian diaspora engagement in the country’s upcoming general elections. Participants included senior representatives from the Ministry of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), and the National Identification Office (ONI), who gathered to finalize tangible, actionable mechanisms to ensure overseas voters can exercise their democratic rights.

    This meeting is more than a routine administrative step: it marks a historic milestone for Haitian electoral governance. For years, Haitians residing outside the country have pushed for formal recognition of their right to participate in national elections. The recent electoral decree that officially authorizes the CEP to organize voting processes for diaspora communities fulfills that longstanding demand, and this interagency session is the first concrete step to turn that legal mandate into practice.

    During the day-long discussions, officials zeroed in on three core strategic priorities. First, they reviewed plans for voter registration to be carried out through Haitian consulates and embassies across the globe, alongside updates on the ongoing national citizen identification process led by the ONI, which is a prerequisite for voter eligibility. Second, the group explored the feasibility of opening polling stations in major international cities with large concentrations of Haitian expatriates. Finally, attendees worked through details of logistical coordination between electoral bodies and overseas diplomatic missions to resolve potential bottlenecks ahead of voting.

    Kathia Verdier, who leads both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the diaspora portfolio, has taken on a central bridging role in the process. Verdier continues to serve as the key liaison between the CEP and Haitian communities living abroad, working to remove administrative barriers and ensure the voting process for overseas voters is organized, transparent, and inclusive.

    This year’s national mobilization campaign for diaspora participation carries the unifying theme: “Haiti : Security, Elections, the Diaspora Participates to Support Stability”, framing overseas voter engagement as a core contribution to restoring stability to the Caribbean nation.

  • Barbados in global minimum tax race as filing deadline approaches

    Barbados in global minimum tax race as filing deadline approaches

    As the June 30 deadline for the first round of global minimum tax filings approaches, two leading Barbadian professional bodies — the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados (ICAB) and the Association for Global Business in Barbados — are ramping up pressure on multinational enterprises, tax advisors and legal professionals to complete their mandatory submissions on time, with tax authorities already warning of strict penalties for late filings or non-compliance.

    To help affected entities prepare for the rapidly approaching regulatory milestone, ICAB partnered with the local business association to host a targeted joint workshop, bringing together cross-sector expertise to walk stakeholders through the complex new compliance regime. The workshop, held at Barbados’ Hilton hotel, drew attendees from multinational finance teams, independent tax practitioners and legal firms, all seeking clarity on domestic implementation of the global framework.

    ICAB Chief Executive Officer Lisa Padmore highlighted the urgent need for the capacity-building initiative in an interview with Barbados TODAY, framing the current timeline as a race against the clock to align with the island’s overhauled international tax system. “We are acutely aware of the fast-approaching filing deadlines for all entities scoped into the new global minimum tax and top-up tax rules,” Padmore explained. She emphasized that the educational workshop was designed as a collaborative effort between professional bodies, pulling in specialized knowledge from across Barbados’ financial services sector to ensure affected firms have all the tools to navigate the untested compliance requirements.

    Padmore noted that while many financial professionals have already completed international general training on the broader implications of the global minimum tax regime, the local workshop filled a critical gap by addressing jurisdiction-specific technical details that generic training does not cover. “A lot of practitioners have already pursued independent training, either through overseas programs or online courses, but many are here today specifically to get clarification from the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) on the domestic filing process,” she said. She added that eligible entities have already been making monthly prepayments since the regime was enshrined in 2024 income tax amendments, making the pre-deadline workshop a critical final step for first-time filers to confirm their processes meet regulatory requirements ahead of June 30.

    BRA Revenue Commissioner Jason King reinforced the urgency of the deadline during the workshop, outlining the sweeping fiscal reforms that have reshaped Barbados’ corporate tax landscape over the past two years. King emphasized that the rollout of the new global minimum tax framework is a defining shift for Barbados’ economy, as the island moves from policy development to full operationalization of its updated corporate tax system.

    King explained that over the last 24 months, Barbados restructured its core corporate tax rate to 9% for most entities, with the exception of small businesses and specific out-of-scope sectors including shipping, patent box arrangements and insurance, which retain alternative tax rates. The new regime aligns with the OECD/G20 Pillar 2 global minimum tax regulations first published in 2022, and Barbados’ status as an early adopter puts it in a unique position to protect its domestic tax base, King noted.

    Because Barbados’ standard 9% corporate rate falls below the 15% global minimum rate set by the agreement, the island qualifies as a “qualifying domestic minimum top-up tax jurisdiction”, meaning it can collect additional tax from eligible multinationals to bring their effective rate up to the required minimum — rather than ceding that revenue to other jurisdictions under the Pillar 2 framework. “In simple terms, for any effective rate between our 9% base rate and 15% global minimum, Barbados will collect that top-up difference right here in our jurisdiction,” King clarified.

    The top-up tax applies to all multinational enterprise groups that maintain operational entities in Barbados, introducing a new standardized layer of international tax reporting to the island’s fiscal system. King explained that depending on specific qualifying criteria, multinationals may file their required global return in Barbados or in another jurisdiction where the group operates. For entities with taxable liability in Barbados, accurate calculations rooted in existing tax records already held by BRA are required to confirm compliance. Once the calculation is complete, a single top-up tax payment is made on behalf of the entire group through Barbados’ tax system.

    Addressing preparedness ahead of the deadline, King confirmed that registration for the new regime closed at the end of 2025, as dictated by the 12-month registration window following the first in-scope year end (December 2024). While the BRA faced initial technical challenges with the online registration system, those issues were resolved earlier in the year, and the large majority of eligible multinational groups have already completed registration. The focus is now squarely on supporting first-time filers to meet their June 30 submission and payment obligations, with full compliance enforcement set to kick in after the deadline.

    King made clear that BRA will apply standard fiscal penalties and accrued interest to any entities that miss the filing or payment deadline, consistent with standard tax enforcement practices on the island. Despite the steep learning curve and compliance burdens for the private sector, King framed the implementation of the global top-up tax as a historic fiscal milestone for Barbados that will unlock new, previously inaccessible tax revenue for the government, delivering widespread long-term benefits for the island’s population. “This is a net benefit for the entire country, because it opens up a whole new stream of tax revenue that we have never had access to before,” King said. “Ultimately, all Barbadians will share in those benefits.”

  • BIBA welcomes passport-free Barbados-Guyana travel

    BIBA welcomes passport-free Barbados-Guyana travel

    As both Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations mark 60 years of political independence in 2024, a landmark new bilateral agreement eliminating passport requirements for travel between Barbados and Guyana is being celebrated by private sector leaders as a transformative step toward deeper regional integration and expanded cross-border commerce.

    The arrangement, the latest operational milestone under the 2013 St. Barnabas Accord, a sweeping bilateral cooperation framework designed to align economic and political ties between the two countries, allows eligible citizens to cross borders using only their government-issued secure national identification cards – including Barbados’ biometric Trident ID card. For business leaders, the reform cuts through longstanding administrative delays that have hampered regional investment and collaboration, opening the door to more agile, on-the-ground project development for stakeholders across both markets.

    Carmel Haynes, Executive Director of the Barbados International Business Association (BIBA), which represents the country’s $8 billion international business sector, framed the policy shift as both a strategic economic adjustment and a symbolic milestone for south-south cooperation. “This is exactly the kind of tangible progress we need to turn the long-held CARICOM vision of a single economic space into reality,” Haynes told local media outlet Barbados TODAY. She noted that the reform comes as Barbados actively pursues a strategic reorientation away from overreliance on traditional financial services markets in Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom, where competition from onshore financial centers has eroded Barbados’ market share in recent decades.

    The timing of the reform could not be more aligned with the shifting economic trajectories of both nations. Guyana is currently experiencing one of the fastest economic booms in modern history, driven by an unprecedented surge in offshore oil production that has pushed annual GDP growth above 60% in 2023. This rapid expansion has created urgent demand for professional services, cross-border investment infrastructure, and corporate expertise to scale its growing economy. For Barbados, which has built a 50-year track record as a leading Caribbean hub for international corporate services, the agreement unlocks new opportunities to export its specialized talent and financial infrastructure to support Guyana’s growth, while delivering mutual benefits to businesses in both countries.

    Haynes highlighted that Barbados’ extensive network of double taxation agreements and its membership in the CARICOM single market create a clear advantage for businesses looking to access Guyana’s expanding energy and infrastructure sectors. “Companies can register in Barbados, leverage our established tax treaty network to enter Guyana, and unlock significant tax savings that would not be available through other entry routes,” she explained. Beyond tax benefits, Barbados boasts a deep, mature pool of professional talent in law, accounting, corporate governance, and cross-border transaction management – expertise that can help Guyana build out its business ecosystem as it scales.

    This is not the first time the region has tested a passport-free travel framework. During the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, which was hosted by nine Caribbean nations, temporary legislation was enacted to create a single travel space for the duration of the tournament. Haynes said the widespread praise for that trial, from both business and tourism stakeholders, has kept the demand for permanent free movement alive for nearly two decades.

    Despite the liberalization of travel rules, Haynes emphasized that the new arrangement is not an unregulated open border system. Both countries have upgraded to advanced, biometrically secured national ID cards, with rigorous security vetting protocols built into the agreement to mitigate risks. “Security has been a core priority throughout the design of this arrangement, and it is by no means a free-for-all,” Haynes noted. “Barbados’ Trident ID is far more secure than our previous national identification system, and Guyana has also rolled out its own secure credentialing, so we have full confidence in the integrity of the process.”

    Private sector stakeholders across the region now view the deal as a blueprint for deeper integration across CARICOM, demonstrating that tangible progress toward a single economic space is possible even amid broader regional gridlock on free movement negotiations. For both Barbados and Guyana, the agreement is expected to unlock new investment flows, strengthen business-to-business linkages, and set a precedent for further collaboration across the Caribbean.

  • BADMC launches data platform to boost farming

    BADMC launches data platform to boost farming

    Against a backdrop of heavy reliance on imported food that costs Barbados $80 million annually, the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC) has launched a transformative, data-powered Agricultural Statistics Platform designed to modernize domestic farming coordination, ramp up local output, and shrink the nation’s food import dependency. The initiative is a core component of the country’s broader 25-by-25 strategy, which aims to cut the national food import bill by 25 percent by the end of 2025.

  • CEO Almendarez Defends BEL

    CEO Almendarez Defends BEL

    In a press briefing addressing widespread public anger over unprecedented spikes in household electricity costs across Belize, Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Public Utilities, Energy and Logistics, pushed back against criticism on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, by breaking down the structural factors driving the steep rate increases that have left some families paying two to three times their typical monthly bills.

    Almendarez emphasized that Belize’s energy grid is disproportionately dependent on imported power, with more than half of the nation’s electricity supply brought in from neighboring Mexico. Unlike domestically generated energy, imported power prices are set by international and regional market forces beyond the control of Belizean regulators or the national energy provider. Under the country’s existing regulatory framework, these fluctuating import costs are directly passed through to end consumers, meaning any upward shift in global energy prices immediately translates to higher bills for households.

    To meet total national energy demand, Belize currently combines three primary sources: cogeneration from domestic sugarcane production, local hydropower, and the Mexican power imports. When lower-cost domestic sources such as hydropower fall short of meeting demand, the system must rely on more expensive imported power to fill the gap – and that extra cost is absorbed directly by consumers, Almendarez explained.

    Complicating the debate over rising rates is the unique structure of Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), which operates as a regulated natural monopoly, Almendarez added. He argued that introducing competing grid operators would not drive down costs, noting that duplicate infrastructure would only spread fixed costs across a smaller customer base, ultimately pushing per-unit rates even higher than they are today. He also pushed back against claims that BEL unilaterally set the current higher rates, clarifying that all electricity pricing adjustments must receive formal approval from the independent Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The current rate of $0.4427 per kilowatt-hour, implemented in January 2026, was approved by the PUC to cover a projected $108 million in total annual energy supply costs.

    Beyond structural factors, BEL attributes part of the recent sticker shock for consumers to seasonal changes: warmer-than-average temperatures this year have driven higher residential energy use, particularly for air conditioning, which has pushed monthly bills far above their typical seasonal averages. Looking ahead, the outlook could grow even more challenging: the rapidly developing El Niño weather pattern is expected to bring prolonged drought conditions to Belize in the coming months, which would reduce output from the country’s hydropower facilities and force the nation to increase its reliance on more expensive imported Mexican power.

    To help households manage their current costs, Almendarez offered practical steps consumers can take to reduce their monthly bills, saying residents do have agency to lower their energy use. His recommendations include unplugging appliances that are not in use to eliminate phantom energy drain, upgrading to ENERGY STAR-certified efficient devices, and applying for a PUC license to install residential solar panels for self-generation. He framed the adjustment to higher energy prices as similar to cutting back on discretionary grocery spending to manage a higher grocery bill: by evaluating personal energy use and cutting unnecessary consumption, households can bring down their monthly costs.

    Despite these recommendations, many Belizean households have pushed back against the advice, saying that most families have already cut non-essential energy use to the bone, leaving little to no room for additional reductions. Critics argue that Almendarez’s guidance is disconnected from the realities of working-class household budgets, noting that up-front investments in energy-efficient technology and residential solar are out of reach for most low- and middle-income families already struggling to cover basic expenses.

  • Police Say Fatal Corozal Shooting May Be Drug-Related

    Police Say Fatal Corozal Shooting May Be Drug-Related

    A deadly drive-by shooting in Corozal Town left a 36-year-old DJ dead and a second man hospitalized this Tuesday, with law enforcement officials pointing to drug ties as the most likely motive for the attack. The incident unfolded at approximately 7:40 p.m. on May 26, 2026, in the Corozal District, after local police received urgent reports of multiple gunshots being fired on Flamboyant Street.

    When first responders arrived at the residential scene, they found Roger Escalante unresponsive, with multiple visible gunshot wounds, and 25-year-old Ezer Alcoser suffering from non-life-threatening injuries. Alcoser was immediately transported to a local medical facility for treatment, where he was later confirmed to be in stable condition.

    Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation outline a clear sequence of events: Escalante and a companion had just arrived at a Flamboyant Street residence when an unidentified SUV pulled up to the property. A lone gunman exited the vehicle, fired several rounds toward the group, and quickly fled the area. The shooting fatally struck Escalante and left Alcoser wounded.

    In an official confirmation of the investigation’s early direction, Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith, a staff officer with the local police force, revealed that Escalante was already a person of interest in an active drug trafficking probe at the time of his killing. While investigators have not yet verified whether both injured men were the intended targets of the attack, Smith confirmed that drug-related gang activity or retaliation is the leading working hypothesis.

    “We are suspecting that may be the motive in this incident,” Smith told reporters in a press briefing Wednesday. As of Thursday morning, no suspects have been taken into custody, and law enforcement is asking any members of the public with information about the SUV or the gunman’s identity to contact the Corozal District police station to advance the case.

  • Charles F Broome stamp authority with 6-0 win in NSC/BICO Football

    Charles F Broome stamp authority with 6-0 win in NSC/BICO Football

    The National Sports Council/BICO Primary School Football Competition delivered a full day of thrilling, lopsided and tightly contested matches across multiple zones across the country, with Charles F Broome Primary turning in the most eye-catching performance of all tournament play on the day. Competing in the Reginald Haynes/Victor Gaskin Clarke Zone hosted at Blenheim playing field, Charles F Broome utterly dominated their matchup against St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Primary, cruising to an overwhelming 6-0 shutout victory that stood as the widest margin of win across all matches.

    Elsewhere in the same zone, another shutout was recorded as St Giles Primary earned a solid 3-0 victory over Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary. Two closely fought matches ended in narrow one-goal wins: St Cyprian’s Primary clinched a last-minute 1-0 edge against St Paul’s Primary, while Luther Thorne Memorial Primary also pulled off a 1-0 win against George Lamming Primary.

    Moving to the Dane Alleyne Zone, play continued with high-scoring action. St Stephen’s Primary put on a clinical attacking display to secure a comfortable 4-1 win over St Matthew’s Primary, while St Alban’s Primary and Sharon Primary treated spectators to an end-to-end thriller, with St Alban’s coming out on top 4-2 after a full 60 minutes of play.

    At the Passage Road venue for the Keith Grell Griffith Zone, results brought a mix of shutouts, draws and close finishes. Wesley Hall Primary upset Trinity Academy with a 2-0 defeat, while St Mary’s Primary dominated Lawrence T Gay Memorial to win 4-0. In a tightly matched contest between two evenly matched sides, Grazettes Primary and Deacons Primary ended their game in a 1-1 all draw. The final match of the zone saw Eden Lodge Primary fend off a late push from Westbury Primary to claim a 2-1 victory.

    Over at King George V Park, Hilda Skeene Primary maintained their strong run of form in the Adrian Donovan/Michael Foster Zone. The side secured an automatic 3-0 default victory after Bayleys Primary was forced to forfeit the matchup, meaning Hilda Skeene claimed three points without stepping onto the field for full play. Other results in the zone included Blackman & Gollop Primary securing a 2-0 shutout against Gordon Walters Primary, St Catherine’s Primary taking a 3-1 win over St Marks Primary, and Reynold Weekes Primary squeezing past St Philip Primary by a narrow 2-1 scoreline.

  • Derde helft WK 2026: Drie landen, drie mascottes, één anthem

    Derde helft WK 2026: Drie landen, drie mascottes, één anthem

    The 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to kick off on June 11, is poised to make history as the most expansive edition of global football’s flagship event. For the first time since the World Cup’s inception nearly a century ago, the tournament will be jointly hosted by three North American nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Expanded to feature 48 participating national teams from across the globe, this year’s iteration will break new ground for inclusivity, cultural exchange, and sporting passion, bringing together the world’s best talent on a truly continental stage.

    Beyond the excitement of on-pitch action and the rise of new global football stars, organizers have centered the 2026 tournament on highlighting the unique cultural identities of its three host nations. The centerpieces of this cultural celebration are three brand-new official mascots — one for each host country — and a collaborative official tournament anthem crafted to unite fans worldwide.

    Breaking another longstanding World Cup tradition, 2026 is the first tournament to feature three official mascots, each designed to reflect the character, heritage, and natural landscapes of its home nation.

    Representing Canada is Maple, a cheerful moose whose name pays homage to Canada’s iconic national symbol, the maple leaf. Embodying the values of resilience and creativity that define Canadian culture, Maple is framed as a skilled goalkeeper, with hidden passions for music and street art that showcase the nation’s vibrant creative scene.

    For Mexico, the official mascot is Zayu, an energetic jaguar that symbolizes strength and the country’s deep, rich indigenous and cultural heritage. As a striker on the pitch, Zayu celebrates Mexico’s beloved culinary and dance traditions, and honors the wild southern Mexican landscapes that remain one of the last natural habitats for jaguars across North America.

    Rounding out the trio is Clutch, the mascot for the United States, a bald eagle — America’s national animal — that stands for speed, power, and unbridled passion for the game. Positioned as a dynamic midfielder, Clutch embodies the curiosity and relentless optimism that are central to American national identity, aligning with the growing energy of the country’s men’s national team.

    The 2026 mascots carry forward a decades-long tradition of beloved World Cup icons, stretching back to Italy 1990’s stick-figure Ciao, South Africa 2010’s leopard Zakumi, and most recently Qatar 2022’s La’eeb, the floating traditional keffiyeh that captured fans’ hearts across the globe.

    Alongside the mascot reveal, organizers have announced the 2026 official tournament anthem, titled “Dai Dai.” For the first time in many years, the anthem is a collaborative track between two global music superstars: Colombian pop icon Shakira and Nigerian Afrobeat legend Burna Boy. This marks Shakira’s second official World Cup anthem, following her 2010 global smash “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” which remains one of the best-selling and most recognizable World Cup anthems of all time. She also contributed the secondary theme song “La La La” for the 2014 Brazil World Cup, performing it during the Rio de Janeiro closing ceremony, and delivered a memorable performance of “Hips Don’t Lie” at the 2006 World Cup closing ceremony in Germany.

    “Dai Dai” blends Afro and Latin musical styles to create a sound that reflects the global diversity of the 2026 tournament, centered on themes of resilience, passion, dream-chasing, and international unity. Key lyrics reinforce the song’s core message of strength: “What broke you once made you strong.” To emphasize the World Cup’s truly global reach, the chorus includes rallying cries in multiple languages, from Italian, Japanese, and Spanish to French: “Dai, dai, ikou, dale, allez, let’s go.” Additional verses highlight the hard work and determination of competing athletes, with lyrics that reinforce individual agency: “You are the owner of that fire, no one can take it away. Sweat and blood to write your story, that is how you paved the way.”

    Colombia, Shakira’s home nation, has qualified for the 48-team 2026 tournament, which will run from June 11 through July 19. Together, the three new mascots and genre-blending anthem have given the 2026 World Cup a vivid, culturally rich identity that does more than just highlight the three host nations: it celebrates the shared passion and unity that football brings to communities across the entire world.