Retro FIFA Songs: Revisited

Fifteen timeless anthems from a franchise that soundtracked a generation.

Written by Tom Adams & Edited by Lucy Astbury April 2026

(Credit: Electronic Arts)

FIFA [cough] sorry EA FC, as it's now known following the end of a licensing partnership, seems to forever be a game both simultaneously adored and despised by its own player base. But once faulty connections and dodgy goalkeeping mechanics can be overlooked, it's fair to say the hit video game series has almost always got it right with its soundtracking choices across its thirty-two year long window of existence. From unearthing artists that are now commonplace festival headliners, to consistently including songs from across the globe, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the game's soundtracks have long felt more keenly anticipated than the actual gameplay features themselves.

So where to begin? Forty-five individual FIFA titles, accumulating over one-thousand songs across each game... that's a hell of a discography to remember. But as a long-time FIFA player myself, I've decided to use my freewill to delve into the last decade's worth of soundtracks to list just fifteen of the most unforgettable tunes iconic enough to make anyone feel a warm dose of nostalgia. With the inclusion of exclusive interviews with Vampire Weekend's Chris Baio, Django Django's David Maclean and a few more contributing artists from down the years, sit back, put your feet up, and indulge in remembering fifteen of the best retro FIFA songs of the last decade, deservedly revisited.

1. Tommy Sparks - She's Got Me Dancing (FIFA 10)

Kickstarting the list is the outrageously funky 70s inspired disco track 'She's Got Me Dancing' by Swedish-English artist Tommy Sparks. Born in Sweden's second largest city of Gothenburg, Sparks' song became a major commercial hit, soundtracking the likes of FIFA 10, Ubisoft's Just Dance 3, and Apple's promotion for the iPod Touch back in 2009. Despite releasing just one album, Tommy Sparks also co-wrote The Prodigy's 'Wild West', from their Invaders Must Die record, as well as previously filling in for Bloc Party, and band 'Kele' more frequently. Pretty good for the CV if you ask me.

2. Jump Jump Dance Dance - White Picket Fences (FIFA 11)

It's a complete coincidence that both Tommy Sparks and Jump Jump Dance Dance released only one album each respectively across their discographies, but 'White Picket Fences' is so sonically buoyant, it almost makes up for it entirely. Consisting of Los Angeles electro-pop duo Chris Carter and Simon Lewicki, 'White Picket Fences' was released in 2011 and on one hand, the track pushes the message of rejecting the notion of conventional American suburbia by escaping conformity, and on the other hand it's the ultimate summer road trip, cruising with the rooftop down kind of song... Pure bittersweet catharsis.

3. Digitalism - Circles (FIFA 12)

Enter another electronic duo... Hailing from Germany, Jens Moelle and İsmail Tüfekçi created Digitalism in 2004, and thankfully (third time lucky) are still going strong with their sixth studio album Optimism due May of this year. The pair are no strangers to a FIFA soundtrack inclusion, appearing on both FIFA 08 with 'Pogo' and FIFA 17 with 'Shangri-La', but it was their 2011 song 'Circles' that felt the most 'FIFA'. Apparently, for all you fact fans out there, Digitalism have recorded a few of their songs in a World War Two bunker they own in Hamburg... like you do. Whether it was recorded in a former war bunker or not, 'Circles' is a track reminiscing about the good times, wishing the carefree memories of our youth can be relived again, and again. Quite fitting for a bit of FIFA nostalgia really.

4. The Naked And Famous - Punching In A Dream (FIFA 12)

Momentarily sticking by FIFA 12 brings us to New Zealand's very own indie electronica band, The Naked And Famous. Now just a two piece, the band had five original members back in 2011 for the release of 'Punching In A Dream' - a song lyrically exploring themes of mental torment, yet masked in upbeat synth blended indie sound. The track turned out to be another popular one for soundtracks also featuring in Forza Horizon, with the band later securing themselves further FIFA royalties with their song 'Hearts Like Ours' appearing in FIFA 14. Little did they know at the time, The Naked And Famous would also go on to support blink-182 three years later across South America. How very 2000s of them.

5. Django Django - Hail Bop (FIFA 13)

After meeting at Edinburgh's College of Art, British indie-rock band Django Django formed in 2009 and are another band to feature themselves more than once across the FIFA series. In addition to 'Hail Bop' in FIFA 13, the band also had their track 'Tic Tac Toe' appear on FIFA 18 too. To ask them about it, I interviewed Django Django's drummer David Maclean.

How did it feel when you found out 'Hail Bop' was going to be on the FIFA soundtrack? 

It was amazing because we were all big fans of the game and played it all the time on the tour bus. It was one of those things that made you feel like you’d ‘made it’. 

How would you describe the song, and the creative process that went into it? 

It was one of the first songs that me and Vinny wrote after ‘Love’s Dart’ and ‘Storm’ before we were a band. We were messing around in my bedroom with an old echo box I got at a car boot sale and making that wonky guitar sound. I had a drum loop sampled off a slowed down disco record that was quite hip hop but the song really locked in when Vinny played those chords, and then Tommy brought his Juno around to do the outro bit. We didn’t know what we were doing or how to write or make music, we were just having fun. The lyrics came later on and were inspired by my outer space obsession at the time. 

How do you look back on the song, having it soundtracked so many people's youth in the best way? 

I’ve actually never thought about that! I’d probably kind of forgotten we were even on a FIFA soundtrack so it’s a nice wee reminder. It seems like a lifetime ago now. But we think it's always cool to be involved in films and computer games and things that have a life of their own. 

6. Miike Snow - Paddling Out (FIFA 13)

Another very necessary entry for the list is no other than Miike Snow. Not one individual, but a Swedish production pop trio since 2007, the band did actually later reveal the name did genuinely originate from a friend called Mike Snow. Funnily enough, the band are probably best known for their debut album track 'Animal', because it was later remixed to become the theme song for popular Channel 4 comedy series Friday Night Dinner. Coincidently a song that enjoyed another FIFA-Forza Horizon crossover, Miike Snow's track 'Paddling Out' is a tune serving as a metaphor for an individual's struggle in the face of oppressive force. It's also worth mentioning it features quite possibly one of the strangest music videos I've ever seen so if chainsaw open surgery and houses flying across space is your thing, go knock yourself out.

7. Smallpools - Dreaming (FIFA 14)

Jumping ahead to FIFA 14 brought about the highly anticipated DLC mode for the FIFA World Cup in 2014, and another hugely jampacked soundtrack to accompany it. Native to Los Angeles, 'Dreaming' was actually Smallpools' debut single, and was played on America's Jimmy Kimmel Live of October 2013. The band would impressively go on to support some fellow FIFA royalty in Twenty One Pilots, Two Door Cinema Club, and Walk The Moon since. 'Dreaming' was so well loved by the FIFA fanbase, it was actually brought back by to feature on the FIFA 23 update for the World Cup mode. For a song screaming lyrics like "please god tell me we're dreaming", what could possibly feel more nostalgic?

8. Olympic Ayres - Magic (FIFA 14)

A few people would argue FIFA 14 had the best soundtrack across the whole franchise, and another big hitter would have to be Olympic Ayres' indie synth track 'Magic'. Championing their love for disco music are Australian pair Kamaliza Salamba and Nathan Mifsud that make up Olympic Ayres, so I had to reach out to ask them about their adored FIFA track.

How did it feel when you found out 'Magic' was going to be on the FIFA soundtrack? 

Like that feeling when you're driving through your old neighbourhood. Everything feels new yet familiar at the same time like you've been here before but also never really felt a part of it. Well, now we're actually a part of it. 

How would you describe the song & the creative process that went into it? 

The song is about the endless pursuit of finding out why we're here on earth. Perhaps we'll never figure it out but it's okay - we've just got to ride the wave. Some waves are shit, some are good, but the only guarantee is that the waves won't stop.  

How do you look back on it, having the song soundtrack so many people's childhoods? 

Music is the ultimate gift! I don't think there is anything more valuable that you can put into this world than art - you make people feel and what can be better than that? Some shitty app or some bullshit designer bag? I doubt it. 

9. Nico & Vinz - When the Day Comes (FIFA 15)

There's not many more feel good songs than this one. Oslo's very own Kahouly Nicolay and Vincent Dery (aka Nico & Vinz) actually started out under the name Envy in 2010 before opting for a change in 2012. Despite 'When the Day Comes' not being the band's biggest hit to date with 'Am I Wrong' surpassing a billion plays on Spotify, their FIFA 15 song still remains incredibly popular today, and is an anthem for resilience with the song focusing overcoming life's hardships. The pair actually supported Taylor Swift of all people back in 2015 for her 1989 World Tour show in Vancouver, and casually performed 'Am I Wrong' with Tay-Tay herself later on in the show... as you do.

10. Prides - Out Of The Blue (FIFA 15)

Scottish indie rockers Prides take the tenth position in the list, and for good reason too. Having formed back in Glasgow in 2013, Stewart Brock, Callum Wiseman, and Lewis Gardiner were impressively booked to perform at the 2014 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony following quite the surreal opening year for the trio. I caught up with singer/songwriter of the band, Stewart, to ask him about their song 'Out Of The Blue'.

How did it feel when you found out your song was going to be on FIFA 15? 

At the time none of us were really into FIFA, so we didn't quite understand the implications! We were obviously chuffed, and to have our music in a videogame at all was wild, but we came to understand that FIFA was a whole other beast. We went to the launch event and played the game with a load of other cool artists on the playlist that year and it started to sink in. We still never got a free copy though, gutted. 

How would you describe the song & the creative process that went into it? 

It started with two big influences. An exploration into writing a riff in a pentatonic scale, and the song "Big Love" by Fleetwood Mac. Lyrically I loved the idea that Lindsey Buckingham wasn't looking for love, he was looking out for love - like he was scared of it. And the riff which ended up on a big dirty synth really led the charge for how the song turned out. It was always a flag pole song for us. A big emotional live track, big drums, and lots of singalongs.

How do you look back on the song, having soundtracked so many people's youth? 

I'm super proud of it! It still comes up now, and so many people are familiar with the song even years later. I've got good friends I've made since who are outright shocked when I play them that song, it's an absolute joy watching the flashbacks in real time. 

11. April Towers - A Little Bit Of Fear (FIFA 16)

I think perhaps the most well received soundtrack in the entire game series, could well be the one FIFA 16 was handed. It was predominantly as a result of featuring on the soundtrack that Nottingham electronic pop two-piece Charles Burley and Alex Noble rose to popularity as April Towers in 2015. 'A Little Bit Of Fear' is an incredibly upbeat track amplifying a feeling of hope through the exploration of emotions and anxieties in order to embrace good change. And to see just how well loved this one is across the FIFA fanbase of nostalgia merchants, hop on over to the official video's comment section on YouTube to see it for yourself. A true fan's favourite.

12. Baio - Sister of Pearl (FIFA 16)

Iconic to fans of both FIFA and The Umbrella Academy, 'Sister of Pearl' is a product of record producer and musician Chris Baio's solo career. Perhaps more familiar for his role as the bassist for Vampire Weekend, I interviewed the legend behind Baio to ask him all about his song 'Sister of Pearl'.

How did it feel when you found out your song would appear on FIFA 16? 

I actually remember exactly where I was when I found out. I had just played my second ever show as Baio in Los Angeles with a string quartet. After I got offstage, my label told me that 'Sister of Pearl' was going to be on the next FIFA. Vampire Weekend had already been on one of the soundtracks so I knew it was a big deal, but didn't realise quite how many people love those soundtracks. It went a very long way towards giving the song a long life so I'll always be grateful for that. 

How would you describe the song, as well as the creative process that went into it? 

The song has a very simple message: be who you want to be. I wanted to make something happy and upbeat as I'd never written a song like that before. I wrote it in a very quick few hours back in 2012, but getting the actual recording took a few years. Learning how to sing was a big struggle in making my first record, but I remember feeling excited about the song once we got it right. 

How do you look back on the song, having it soundtrack so many people's youth? 

I still meet people from time to time who know my solo work from FIFA so it's pretty humbling to have people enjoying it over ten years after it came out. Thousands of people still listen to it every day so I feel pretty lucky! 

13. No Wyld - Let Me Know (FIFA 16)

One my personal favourites. There's just something so characteristically 2015 about it. Having met as friends at university, alternative hip-hop duo Mo Kheir and Joe Pascoe are another on his list from Auckland, New Zealand. Having been active from 2010 to 2017, the pair received a lot of publicity for their songs, with a few being used in Red Bull, McDonalds, and WWE advertising campaigns, as well as in soundtrack for NHL 15, Madden NFL, and Need For Speed, in addition to FIFA 16. Not bad going at all for all of seven years!

14. Atlas Genius - Stockholm (FIFA 16)

The penultimate entry into the list features Aussie band Atlas Genius for their track 'Stockholm'. With the band's earlier song in their discography 'If So' being chosen for the game series a few years prior, I asked the band what it was about 'Stockholm' that earned them their second FIFA hit in just three years.

How did it feel when you found out a second song of yours was going to be on FIFA? 

We knew FIFA was a big deal from the last one, but being from Australia we still didn’t quite know just how big a deal haha. We already had another song included in the game a few years earlier so we kind of just thought "oh yeah, just another song added to the world’s most popular game, no big deal" haha. 

How would you describe 'Stockholm', as well as the creative process that went into it? 

I started writing that song, funnily enough, in Stockholm in Sweden while running on a treadmill in my hotel. I had to cut the workout short in order to get the idea down - I think I still have the original voice memo on my phone. The lyric was basically a stream-of-consciousness, stemming from all the random experiences my girlfriend and I had had while travelling. Most notably, the most ridiculously perched bed in this Airbnb that required climbing a ladder in order to get to sleep… “Climbed a mountain, went to bed”. 

How do you look back on the song, having soundtracked so many people's youth? 

We always loved that song, and had earmarked it to be the first single off our second record Inanimate Objects. But some execs at our label at the time Warner Brothers decided against it because they claimed they couldn’t understand the lyrics. Eventually it became one of our biggest streamed songs - in large part because of FIFA. So we learnt never trust a label exec! 

15. RAC, Nate Henricks - Back of the Car (FIFA 16)

So here we are... fifteen of the most whimsically bittersweet FIFA songs of the last decade concludes with 'Back of the Car'. RAC (or Andre Allen Anjos) is an American musician and producer who collaborated with another American producer, and songwriter, Nate Henricks. Another with numerous FIFA songs already in his locker, RAC is a former Grammy nominated artist on three separate occasions, winning once back in 2017, as well as being responsible for producing Linkin Park's seventh studio album, One More Light. For 'Back of the Car' depicting the romanticism of chasing dreams in true summer road trip fashion... what could possibly scream nostalgia more than that, eh? Don't you even dare say PES, I'm not doing a list for that.