FIFA Selects Alan Parsons Project’s ‘Sirius’ as 2026 World Cup Anthem
The 1982 instrumental has been chosen for the tournament spanning Canada, Mexico, and the United States, coinciding with ongoing legal scrutiny of ticketing practices.
FIFA has officially designated the 1982 instrumental track 'Sirius' by The Alan Parsons Project as the walk-out anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The selection ensures the song will be played before every match as teams enter the field during the tournament, which is co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
The band confirmed the arrangement via its official Facebook page, noting the track’s inclusion in the opening match and every subsequent game. The announcement comes as the 2026 tournament approaches its scheduled start on June 12, with Canada set to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.
While the track is widely recognised for its cultural association with the Chicago Bulls during the Michael Jordan era of the 1990s, FIFA has not provided a specific public explanation for choosing 'Sirius' over other potential anthems. The decision marks a continuation of the organisation’s tradition of selecting a distinct musical identity for each World Cup cycle.
The musical selection arrives amidst heightened regulatory attention in the United States. New York and New Jersey attorneys-general have issued subpoenas to FIFA regarding ticket sales and dynamic pricing structures for matches at MetLife Stadium, alleging that pricing models exceeded previous tournaments and that seat locations were misrepresented to consumers.
The Alan Parsons Project’s confirmation highlights the global reach of the track, which was originally released in 1982. Its adoption for the World Cup walk-out sequence represents a significant shift in the auditory landscape of international football, replacing traditional orchestral fanfares with a synthesizer-driven classic.
As the tournament prepares to launch across three nations, the focus remains on the logistical and legal frameworks surrounding the event. The use of 'Sirius' will be a constant auditory element, regardless of the ongoing investigations into ticketing transparency and allocation accuracy by US state authorities.
The track’s integration into the World Cup protocol underscores the intersection of sports entertainment and institutional governance. With the opening match imminent, the football world will observe how this musical choice influences the atmosphere of the tournament, even as legal questions regarding commercial practices continue to be addressed by US regulators.
