The 2018 World Cup in Russia gave us “Live It Up” — the one where Will Smith showed up on a World Cup song. Here’s the story of an official track that aimed for global unity with a star-packed lineup.
| Song | Live It Up |
| Artists | Nicky Jam ft. Will Smith & Era Istrefi |
| Producer | Diplo |
| World Cup | 2018 (Russia) |
| Genre | Latin pop / dance |
Will Smith at the World Cup
“Live It Up” paired reggaeton star Nicky Jam, Hollywood’s Will Smith, and Kosovar-Albanian singer Era Istrefi, with production from Diplo. They performed it at the 2018 closing ceremony in Moscow.
A Song About Living in the Moment
The message is simple and on-brand for a global tournament: forget your worries, come together, and “live it up.” Like most official songs, it leaned more toward universal feel-good pop than a specific host-country sound.
Where It Sits in World Cup History
It’s another data point in the ongoing evolution of the official song — see how it compares in our history of World Cup anthems. Full info on Wikipedia.
Related World Cup Music
Related: We Are One (2014), Wavin’ Flag (2010), and the 2026 official album.
A Snapshot of 2018
Every World Cup song is a time capsule, and “Live It Up” is pure 2018: a Diplo-produced, reggaeton-tinged pop track built for stadium screens and ad breaks. It leaned global rather than distinctly Russian, continuing a long-running trend in official songs.
It never reached “Waka Waka” levels of love, but it did its job as a feel-good unifier. Stacked against We Are One (2014) and the 2026 anthem ‘DNA’, it shows how FIFA keeps chasing that perfect blend of local flavor and worldwide appeal.
Diplo’s production gave “Live It Up” a sleek, club-ready sheen, and the trio performed it at the 2018 closing ceremony in Moscow before the final.
It marked one of Will Smith’s higher-profile musical moments in years, and slotted neatly into FIFA’s pattern of pairing a Latin star, a global pop name and a fresh voice — a formula you can hear echoed again in 2026.
“Live It Up” also reflected football’s growing embrace of Latin pop and reggaeton, a sound that has only become more central to World Cup music since. Listen back today and it plays like an early signpost toward the genre-blending, globally-minded official songs that now dominate the tournament — right through to the star-packed 2026 album.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who sang the 2018 World Cup song?
“Live It Up” was performed by Nicky Jam, Will Smith and Era Istrefi, produced by Diplo.
What World Cup was “Live It Up” for?
The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
What is “Live It Up” about?
It’s a feel-good anthem about unity and living in the moment.
Who produced “Live It Up”?
It was produced by Diplo.