Listen, my friends! Playlist: World Cup 2026

.

In the words of Moby Grape… listen, my friends!

Yes, it’s back (again), the occasional playlist presented by George’s Journal just for you good people – this time to mark the frenzied festival of football that’s the North American-hosted 2026 World Cup.

There may be one or two classics to be found here dotted in among different tunes you’re unfamiliar with or have never heard before – or, of course, you may’ve heard them all before. All the same, why not sit back, listen away and enjoy…

.

CLICK on the song titles to hear them

.

Original Motion Picture Cast ~ America (1961)¹

Lonnie Donegan ~ World Cup Willie (1966)²

England World Cup Squad ’70 ~ Back Home (1970)³

San Jose (Rod Argent) ~ Argentine Melody (Canción de Argentina) (1978)¹

Andy Cameron ~ Ally’s Tartan Army (1978)⁴

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ~ The Jellicle Ball (1981)¹

Jeff Wayne ~ Matador (1982)¹

Opus ~ Live Is Life (1984)⁵

Heads ~ Aztec Lightning (1986)¹

Silsoe (Rod Argent and Pete van Hooke) ~ Aztec Gold (1986)¹

Englandneworder ~ World In Motion (1990)⁶

Rod Argent and Peter van Hooke ~ Tutti al Mondo (1990)¹

Luciano Pavarotti ~ Nessun Dorma (1990)¹

Tamba Trio ~ Mas Que Nada (1998)⁷

The Wimbledon Choral Society ~ Pavane (1998)¹

Fat Les ~ Vindaloo (1998)⁸

The Beatles ~ Come Together (1969)⁹

.

¹ The tunes used, unforgettably so in most cases, over the opening titles of the BBC and ITV coverage of World Cups past – in chronological order: America from Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s West Side Story (World Cup 1994, BBC);  Rod ’The Animals’ Argent’s take on Argentine Melody from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita (World Cup 1978, BBC); The Jellicle Ball from Lloyd Webber’s Cats (World Cup 1982, BBC); Jeff ‘The War Of The Worlds’ Wayne’s Matador (World Cup 1978, ITV); Aztec Lightning (World Cup 1986, BBC); Argent and Peter van Hooke’s Aztec Gold (World Cup 1986, ITV, and subsequently used for ITV’s late ’80s/ early ’90s Saint and Greavsie Saturday lunchtime football show); Argent and van Hooke’s Tutti al Mundo (World Cup 1990, ITV); Pavarotti’s unmistakeable take on Verdi’s Nessun Dorma (World Cup 1990, BBC) and Gabriel Fauré’s Pavane (World Cup, 1998)

² The official anthem performed by the early ’60s skiffle king for the 1966 tournament, hosted and won by England

³ The legendary official song for defending champions England’s defence at World Cup 1970, performed by the squad itself, and later constantly celebrated/ mocked by David Baddiel and Frank Skinner on their soccer comedy show Fantasy Football League (1994-96)

⁴ Comedian Cameron’s memorably jolly but ultimately hopelessly hopeful tune to promote Scotland’s ill-starred World Cup 1978 campaign, which hit #6 on the UK Singles charts

⁵ 1980s Austrian rockers Opus’s hit song, which became synonymous with the boyishly exuberant on-pitch genius of World Cup 1986 Golden Ball awardee Diego Maradona, when soundtracked by the tune over the stadium’s speakers, footage of him warming up with Napoli teammates and practicing keepy-uppy skills ahead of an April 1989 UEFA Cup semi-final against Bayern Munich went globally viral in a very pre-Internet age 

⁶ The cast-iron classic official song (and UK chart-topper) for England’s fondly recalled World Cup 1990 campaign, written and performed by the iconic New Wave band and featuring a surprisingly impressive rap courtesy of John Barnes

⁷ The now legendary Nike TV ad that seemed to be everywhere (at least on TV screens) during the ‘Nike vs. Adidas’ branding war that was also referred to as World Cup 1998 and which featured the then famed Brazilian team performing tricks, flicks and skills while supposedly waiting for a flight at an airport

⁸ The alternative anthem (UK #2) for England’s World Cup 1998 campaign; created and performed by a one-time musical collective spearheaded by actor Keith Allen (dad of Lily) and Blur bassist Alex James, it was embraced by many at face value as a suitably primal, tribal ’90s ‘lad culture’ chant that was perfect for an England team-tilt at a World Cup, while others recognised its faux-nationalism and irony marked it out as a(n overly?) clever, money-making send-up 

⁹ The official and really rather beautiful video announcing the England squad for their World Cup 2026 campaign, backed by a brilliantly fitting and, of course, fantastic track from The Fabs 

.