DJ Jazzy Jeff produces Philly’s official ‘sonic ID’ for FIFA World Cup 2026
The West Philly native has crafted a funk song reminiscent of the Philly soul era of the 1970s, complete with a smooth blend of horns, strings, and percussions.
Philly’s DJ Jazzy Jeff is bringing the soul of the city to next year’s FIFA World Cup tournament.
On Thursday, Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the organization responsible for hosting the World Cup at Lincoln Financial Field, released the city’s “sonic ID.”
All 16 host cities (including Vancouver, San Francisco, Guadalajara, and Boston,) across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will have designated themes that represent their musical and cultural identity.
For the City of Brotherly Love, the organization tapped the two-time Grammy-winning producer , who gifted his hometown a funk song reminiscent of the Philly soul era of the 1970s.
“When I understood that the sonic ID was pretty much telling the story of Philadelphia, the first thing that came to my mind was (Kenny) Gamble and (Leon) Huff,” the West Philly native and hip-hop pioneer said. The smooth blend of horns, strings, and percussions also flash elements of the neo soul movement, which was stirred by Philly vocalists Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Bilal, and others in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
Jeff said combining the two sounds was a “marriage” of music and culture, reflective of the city’s vibe, timeless sound, and distinct heritage. “That was my job, and I took a lot of pride in that,” he said. “This is the biggest sports event to come to Philadelphia, ever. So if we’re going to do it, we’re going to show people who we are.”
The song is accompanied by a two-minute video that highlights iconic sites like City Hall, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, the Betsy Ross House, the Liberty Bell Center, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and others. The FIFA World Cup trophy appears on the PMA’s steps and other places.
Other host cities like Kansas City and Atlanta have also tapped hip-hop and R&B legends like Tech N9ne and Grammy-winning songwriter Dallas Austin to craft themes for their hometowns.
Host city executive Meg Kane said Philly was in good with hands with Jeff, and she’s confident Philly’s sonic ID will be one of many ways the city will stand out among all the other host cities.
“What Jeff has done with this sonic ID is capture the essence of Philadelphia,” Kane said. “Someone that doesn’t know much about Philadelphia, you get a sense of our soul as a city by listening to it … That’s our presentation to the world, and that’s our invitation to come here.”
The Jazzy Jeff-produced song will be played during match broadcasts, FIFA fan festivals, and in-stadium during all the FIFA World Cup matches at the Linc.
Six matches will be held at the 69,000-seat stadium. The first will be June 14, 2026, with the final matchup on the nation’s semiquincentennial on July 4.
The city’s sonic ID can be heard on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and other music platforms.