The funds amassed by Shakira's "Waka Waka" hit tallied up to 8 million, where did it end up?
In the world of international football, the 2010 World Cup anthem "Waka Waka" by Shakira and Freshlyground continues to make headlines, over a decade after its release. The song, which was a global hit, has generated substantial revenues that were intended to be redistributed to charitable associations. However, the manner in which these funds were spent has become a point of contention.
FIFA, the governing body of world football, has claimed that it continues to invest in football centres through royalties from the song. The exact amount allocated has not been specified. Yet, the sum reportedly received by FIFA through Sony Music, the company handling the royalties for "Waka Waka", was nearly 8 million euros.
However, both the South African group that participated in the recording of the song and Sony Music themselves have stated that they did not know how FIFA spent the sum of the royalties. This lack of transparency has fueled concerns and questions about the use of these funds.
The football facilities built with the revenues from "Waka Waka" were constructed under an organisation, the name and current status of which remain unknown. The investigation into the spending of the royalties from the song was conducted by the Sunday Times. The findings suggest that a significant portion of the revenues were used to build these facilities in 15 African countries.
Despite the controversy, the song "Waka Waka" continues to generate revenue, a testament to its enduring popularity. The British media outlet did not disclose the exact amount of revenues generated by the song.
The charitable associations chosen for the redistribution of the royalties from "Waka Waka" were Shakira's and Freshlyground's selections. However, the statement from FIFA did not reveal the exact amount of royalties used for the investments in the football centres.
The search results do not provide information about when such an organisation may have been closed. As of 2025, it appears that the organisation responsible for these investments has ceased to exist since 2014.
The lack of transparency regarding the spending of the royalties from "Waka Waka" remains a point of contention. FIFA has not disclosed how the 8 million euros in royalties from the song were spent. The investigation into the matter continues, shedding light on the complexities of funding large-scale projects and the importance of accountability and transparency in such endeavours.
