2010 World Cup: FIFA faces ongoing controversy | OneFootball

Gianni Infantino

More than 15 years after the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa, FIFA remains under pressure due to an unresolved issue.

According to revelations by The Times, FIFA is under pressure to clarify how millions of pounds in royalties from the official song of the 2010 World Cup, "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" by Shakira, were spent. The total sum is estimated at a minimum of £7 million, but the fate of these funds remains uncertain.

Sony Music, which held the distribution rights to the song, stated that it transferred all royalties to FIFA, which was responsible for distributing the profits to charities selected by the artists involved in the project. However, the South African group Freshlyground, who collaborated on the recording and performed with Shakira during the World Cup, claims they have been unable to obtain clear information about how the funds—particularly those managed by FIFA over the past decade—were used.

"For the past 15 years, Sony Music has paid and continues to pay royalties for the official version of Waka Waka to FIFA, which oversees the distribution to charities selected by the song's artists," explained a Sony spokesperson. Part of the money was reportedly used to build football infrastructure in 15 countries, but the foundation set up by FIFA to distribute these funds appears to have been closed in 2014.

For its part, FIFA stated that it will continue to support 20 centers built as part of the World Cup legacy project in South Africa. In an official statement, FIFA said: "Our overall investment in constructing the centers and supporting the organizations involved was significantly higher than the royalties received from the official 2010 South Africa soundtrack."