Shakira defied gravity when she took to the 2026 FIFA World Cup stage on Thursday in a pair of massive platform R13 sneakers, which she coordinated with her backup dancers. The Colombian superstar was there performing “Dai Dai,” alongside Nigerian artist Burna Boy at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City ahead of the opening match between Mexico and South Africa.
The Colombian singer performed the track while wearing the R13 Riot leather high-top sneakers in white leather. The shoes were designed with a classic basketball high-top sneaker silhouette, a lace-up closure, hand-stitched platform, and toe cap. The shoes feature a heel height of 1.75 inches, with a platform measuring a dramatic 1.5 inches.
The high-top comes with an almond toe and the signature R13 logo on the back tab. They retail for $1,495. The singer decorated her and her dancers’ shoes with yellow shoelaces that matched her socks and her ensemble. The dancers wore the same shoes, but in a shorter version without a platform. They paired the sneakers with custom Off-White looks.
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She wore the same shoes when she announced that she would be releasing “Dai Dai” as the official song of the 2026 World Cup on Instagram on the FIFA Instagram page. She wore the sneakers in a white and electric blue colorway for the social video.
This isn’t the only time the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer is performing during the worldwide sporting event; she is also set to perform at the first ever halftime performance of the tournament at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, sharing the stage with BTS and Madonna for a performance curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin that will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund’s $100 million push to expand access to education and soccer opportunities for children worldwide.
In May, “Whenever, Wherever” singer worked a denim-on-denim look to announce the halftime event, matching a pair of Jeffrey Campbell Cute-Jeans thigh-high denim boots with a denim Diesel De-Dra minidress.
Her recent performance footwear has stayed in similar bold territory. During a March stop on her “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” world tour in Mexico City, Shakira stepped into embellished white Western-inspired booties, while her 2025 Global Citizen Festival appearance in New York last September saw her tap into the slouchy boot revival with black knee-high leather boots set on a hidden wedge.
“I’ve spent my life doing two things — making songs and building schools. At the FIFA World Cup, those two paths come together. Standing alongside Madonna and BTS, I’ll be performing “Dai Dai”, the song I created for this World Cup and for the kids around the world we will reach with the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. My hope is that on the world’s biggest stage, the importance of investing in children’s education steals the show!” said Shakira, who is also a FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund Board member, in an official press release.
The Grammy winner’s FIFA ties run deep. This year, Shakira returns to the World Cup fold with “Dai Dai,” a new official 2026 song with Burna Boy, marking her second official FIFA track after 2010’s “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” She has also been on the road this month for her “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour 2026” dates. Ahead, see some of Shakira’s best performance shoes through the years.
