Shakira’s performance at the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony in Mexico City has sparked off a bizarre conspiracy theory. Some fans are convinced that the Hips Don’t Lie singer used a body double for her segment.
Apart from Shakira, stars such as J Balvin, Maná and Lila Downs also held the audience captive with their musical talents.
The claim started after Shakira performed the World Cup’s official anthem, Dai Dai, on stage. A section of her followers started claiming that the singer was using a body double. The reason behind their theory? She looked different.
One user shared a clip from the opening ceremony and wrote, “That’s not Shakira. Look how she misses the step when she sings ‘Dai Dai’. That’s a double. Shakira lied to everyone.”
Esa no es Shakira.
Vean como se equivoca en el paso cuando canta Dai Dai…
Esa es una doble.
Shakira les mintió a todo el mundo. pic.twitter.com/c3nxeCBufQ— TermoEcu ????????????????????⚽️ (@TermoEcu2021) June 11, 2026
The Colombian singer wore a striking yellow outfit, platform trainers and dark sunglasses for her performance. Many users also focused on how Shakira’s hair seemed to be of a different shade than usual.
Some people tried to connect the show to Rebeca Maiellano, a Venezuelan Shakira impersonator who is popularly known as “Shakibecca”, as per Grazia. Maiellano did work in Mexico around the tournament, but is not documented at the Estadio Azteca, where the opening ceremony was held.
So far, Shakira’s team has not responded to the speculation. However, Euronews said there was one detail that strongly disproved the body double rumours.
Shakira has a small scar on her forehead that is visible in several photographs taken over the years. The mark can be seen in images from the World Cup opening ceremony as well.
Moreover, rehearsal clips on Shakira’s social media channels seem to be consistent in terms of staging, costuming and movement from practice to the live show.
Shakira’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Anthem
Dai Dai, sung by Shakira and Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Burna Boy loosely translates to “come on, come on” in Italian slang. The song promotes resilience, second chances and collective energy.
The track’s release also reignited comparisons with Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), the Colombian icon’s 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem.
Dai Dai’s official music video has amassed over 131 million views on YouTube to date. Waka Waka, on the other hand, remains one of Shakira’s most popular tracks, with over 4.5 billion views.