What started as a song release from a YouTuber has quickly turned into a global football conversation. IShowSpeed’s new track, “Champions,” is gaining millions of views and sparking calls from fans for it to become the unofficial anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Darren Watkins Jr., better known online as IShowSpeed, has found himself at the center of the World Cup buzz after releasing a football themed anthem titled Champions ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The song dropped on June 1 and immediately exploded across social media, attracting millions of views within hours and drawing praise from football fans across different countries. What began as another music release from the popular streamer quickly turned into something much bigger.
Across X, Instagram, YouTube and fan forums, supporters have been calling the track the “real World Cup anthem” and arguing that it captures the excitement, energy and global spirit of football better than many official tournament songs.
The timing is significant.
Just weeks ago, FIFA unveiled its official 2026 World Cup anthem, Dai Dai, performed by and . While the official track generated attention, fan reactions were mixed, creating an opening for alternative songs to gain traction online.
That is where Speed stepped in.
His music video features football imagery, national flags, fan celebrations and references to countries participating in the tournament. The fast paced production and crowd chant style chorus have resonated particularly well with younger football supporters.
The reaction became so strong that FIFA itself appeared to take notice.
After Speed publicly asked whether the song could become official, the FIFA World Cup social media account responded with a short message: “We will be in touch.” The response immediately fueled speculation and excitement among fans.
Many supporters see the song as a natural extension of Speed’s growing connection to football culture. Over the past few years, he has become one of the internet’s most recognizable football personalities, traveling around the world, meeting players, attending matches and building a global audience through football related content.
Online discussions have even led to comparisons with past World Cup music icons.
Some fans have jokingly asked whether Speed is becoming the new face of World Cup music, while others have compared the popularity of Champions to iconic tournament songs from previous years.
Whether FIFA ever gives the song any official recognition remains unclear.
But one thing is already obvious.
In just a matter of days, Champions has gone from a YouTube release to one of the most talked about football songs on the internet. And with the 2026 World Cup still approaching, the anthem’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down.
