Berklee and FIFA World Cup 26 Debut Official Boston Host City Theme

Berklee and FIFA World Cup 26 Debut Official Boston Host City Theme Boston is the only host city to work with an educational institution to create its unique, original sound for the FIFA World Cup 26.

By

Tori Donahue

March 10, 2025

Students Ben Zakharenko and Dayvin worked on Boston's Sonic ID, an audio composition that connects the FIFA World Cup 26 with the local community in a unique and memorable way.

Kelly Davidson

FIFA World Cup 26 Boston Host City is proud to announce the debut of Boston's Sonic ID, an audio composition that connects the FIFA World Cup 26 with the local community in a unique and memorable way, created in collaboration with Berklee College of Music.

Each of the 16 host cities selected a local producer to remix the official FIFA World Cup 26 Theme, infusing it with the distinct rhythm, vibe, and cultural essence unique to their city. Boston is the only host city to partner with a college or university to create its unique soundscape. Listeners will hear Boston's Sonic ID at select city events, in Boston Stadium during matches, and throughout the region during Boston FIFA World Cup 26's marketing and communications campaign.

When we learned that we would be creating a unique Boston-infused sound for the FIFA World Cup 26, we knew that we wanted to work with the talented students and faculty at Berklee College of Music, said Julie Duffy, chief marketing and communications officer, FIFA World Cup 26 Boston. As a world-class institute of contemporary music and the performing arts, Berklee is the perfect collaborator for this inspirational project.

Working with Rodney Alejandro, dean of Berklees Professional Writing and Music Technology Division, and student composers Ben Zakharenko (studying electronic production and design and songwriting) and Dayvin (studying electronic production and design and game and interactive media scoring), the team found its inspiration in the city's diversity, rich history, and revolutionary spirit. Throughout the almost three-minute composition, listeners experience a mix of musical elements, from fife and fiddle interludes to acoustic guitar, '80s beats, and contemporary sounds.

We are honored that Berklee was selected as the only educational institution to partner with FIFA World Cup 2026 on the Sonic ID project. It's an amazing opportunity to showcase the immense talent of our students alongside artists from the other host cities around North America, said Berklee President Jim Lucchese. Congratulations to Berklee students Ben Zakharenko and Dayvin on creating a unique and memorable theme that will represent Boston at this truly global event.

Boston is a beautiful melting pot of cultures, and the Sonic ID has historical elements, hip-hop and rock leaning, and the sounds reflective of today's modern city, said Dayvin. Boston is also a coastal city, so you'll hear that expressed through water droplets and crashing waves.

It is important that this sound represents the community-everyone in the community, said Zakharenko. We incorporated Boston's Celtic origins and revolutionary spirit, its '80s beats, and found inspiration from local music legends, including Aerosmith, New Kids on the Block, the Dropkick Murphys, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

This is an incredible opportunity and a dream to partner with the biggest sports organization in the world to create something that will be heard on a global stage, said Alejandro. The magnitude of FIFA's reach is unfathomable and a well-deserved spotlight for Ben and Dayvin's talents.

Kicking off on Saturday, March 1, and continuing through Sunday, March 16, each host city will unveil its Sonic ID and its accompanying visualiser. This exciting rollout builds anticipation for the tournament, giving fans a daily dose of musical inspiration and a taste of the cultural heartbeat of the host cities.

The roster of producers and host cities include:

Saturday, March 1: Bombon (Houston)

Sunday, March 2: Dan the Automator (San Francisco Bay Area)

Monday, March 3: Mr. NaisGai (Miami)

Tuesday, March 4: Take a Daytrip (New York, New Jersey)

Wednesday, March 5: Sango (Seattle)

Thursday, March 6: Dallas Austin (Atlanta)

Friday, March 7: Mexican Institute of Sound (Mexico City)

Saturday, March 8: Hill Kourkoutis (Toronto)

Sunday, March 9: Ben Zakharenko and Dayvin, Berklee College of Music (Boston)

Monday, March 10: Grayson Repp (Vancouver)

Tuesday, March 11: Tech N9ne (Kansas City)

Wednesday, March 12: Toy Selectah (Monterrey)

Thursday, March 13: DJ Jazzy Jeff (Philadelphia)

Friday, March 14: DJ Flict (Los Angeles)

Saturday, March 15: Bautista (Guadalajara)

Sunday, March 16: Tre Nagella (Dallas)

Fans will be able to stream, download, and enjoy city-specific Sonic IDs on popular music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and more, and watch each city's Sonic ID visualiser on FIFA's YouTube channel. Fans can follow the release of each Sonic ID at fifaworldcup.com.

About FIFA World Cup 26 Boston

FIFA World Cup 26 Boston (Boston 26) is the host city organizing committee leading the strategic planning and execution of the seven matches of the FIFA World Cup 26 awarded to Boston, including the official celebratory events taking place over a 39-day period surrounding the tournament. It aims to create and deliver memorable and safe experiences that promote the region. As a nonprofit organization, it is committed to creating sustainable and positive economic and social impact for all communities. For more information, visit BostonFWC26.com and @FWC26-Boston on Instagram.

Watch the video announcing Ben Zakharenko and Dayvin's FIFA World Cup 26 Boston Theme.

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