Davido delivered a show-stopping performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) during the opening ceremony on Sunday, December 21, during the opening match between the Host nation, Morocco, and Comoros, reinforcing his status as one of Africa’s most influential global music exports. Taking center stage in Morocco, the Nigerian superstar thrilled fans with an electrifying performance of the tournament’s official soundtrack alongside American rapper French Montana, blending music, football, and continental pride.
The moment marked a powerful full-circle return for Davido, who last appeared at AFCON in 2017. Eight years later, his comeback reflected both his artistic growth and the global rise of African music, as he captivated thousands in the stadium and millions watching across the continent. The performance stood out as one of AFCON 2025’s most memorable off-pitch highlights.
Davido’s AFCON appearance also added to his growing legacy at football’s biggest events. In 2022, he performed at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, having featured on the tournament’s official soundtrack.
Here are six Nigerian artists who have performed on football’s biggest stages, including the FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, AFCON, and the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
1. Tems (2025 FIFA Club World Cup Final)
Tems performed at the final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup on July 13 at the MetLife Stadium in the United States, sharing the stage with American rapper Doja Cat and Latin star J Balvin. She performed her grammy-winning single, ‘Love Me Jeje’ off her 2024 debut album. Her performance marked a major milestone as she made her debut appearance at a football event of such global scale and etched her name into the history books on Sunday night as she became the first African artist to perform at the FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was the inaugural edition of the expanded tournament, which brought together top clubs from around the world, including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Chelsea, PSG, Juventus, Al Hilal, Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Ahly, Flamengo, Inter Miami and others. The competition began on June 14 and concluded with a high-profile final in which Chelsea defeated PSG 3-0 thanks to a brace from Cole Palmer and a goal from Joao Pedro to be crowned world champions.
2. Davido (2022 FIFA World Cup Final)
Davido performed the official FIFA 2022 World Cup soundtrack, “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)”, alongside Aisha and Trinidad Cardona. He became the first Nigerian artist to perform at a FIFA World Cup final event, appearing during the closing ceremony on December 18, 2022.
The final saw Argentina defeat France 4–2 on penalties after a dramatic 3–3 draw following extra time. Kylian Mbappé scored a historic hat-trick, while Lionel Messi played a decisive role, scoring twice to lead Argentina to World Cup glory.
3. Burna Boy (2023 UEFA Champions League Final)
Burna Boy delivered a memorable performance at the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. He co-headlined the show alongside Brazilian star Anitta, with Swedish DJ Alesso making a guest appearance.
The Afrobeats star thrilled over 80,000 fans with performances of “Last Last” and “It’s Plenty”. On the pitch, Manchester City secured a 1–0 victory over Inter Milan, with Rodri scoring the winning goal to hand the club its first Champions League title.
4. Yemi Alade (Africa Cup of Nations 2023)
Yemi Alade performed at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which took place in 2024, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. She joined Ivorian group Magic System and Egyptian singer Mohamed Ramadan to perform the tournament’s official theme song, “Akwaba”.
The ceremony was held at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara, which has a capacity of 60,000 spectators. The final of the tournament saw Ivory Coast defeat Nigeria 2–1 to be crowned champions of Africa.
5. Rema (Ballon d’Or Ceremony 2023)
Rema made history on October 30, 2023, by becoming the first African artist to perform at the Ballon d’Or ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. He performed his global hit “Calm Down”, marking a landmark moment for African music.
During the performance, Rema interacted with football stars in attendance, exchanging handshakes with players including Kylian Mbappé, Emiliano Martínez, Aitana Bonmatí, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, İlkay Gündoğan, Rúben Dias, Rodri, Alejandro Balde, Erling Haaland, and Bernardo Silva. Lionel Messi went on to win his eighth Ballon d’Or on the night.
6. D’banj (2013 Africa Cup of Nations)
D’banj performed at the closing ceremony of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. He performed “Top of the World”, a song that later featured visuals from his performance alongside highlights of Nigeria’s tournament run.
The final was contested between Nigeria and Burkina Faso on February 10, 2013. Nigeria won the match 1–0 thanks to a goal from Sunday Mba, securing their third AFCON title after previous triumphs in 1980 and 1994.
