A 29-second video posted on TikTok on June 18 by the user @geylaneira became one of the most shared clips of the week with a concept that is both simple and effective: what if Cuba were in the 2026 World Cup and instead of the national anthem, "Dichávate" played?
The answer, according to the viral video of Geyla on TikTok, is self-explanatory: the players couldn't resist dancing. The image of a hypothetical Cuban team moving to the rhythm of the performance during the opening ceremony sparked laughter from more than 261,400 people, accumulated 27,000 likes, and was shared 5,601 times in just a few days.
The joke works because it connects two very Cuban realities that coexist at this moment: the painful absence of the national team in the tournament and the overwhelming cultural phenomenon of the distribution around the world.
Cuba was eliminated from the Concacaf qualifying rounds for the 2026 World Cup on June 11, 2025, after losing 1-2 to Bermuda at their home stadium in Santiago de Cuba. The team needed at least a draw to advance to the final stage of the qualifying process for the first time in 44 years, but a defensive error allowed Reggie Lambe to score the winning goal. Cuba ranks 18th in the Concacaf standings and has not qualified for a FIFA World Cup in decades.
The irony is striking: the 2026 World Cup is being held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada —just a few miles from the Island— but Cubans can't even watch it normally. The severe electrical crisis prevents them from following the matches at home, and Tele Rebelde only broadcast 10 minutes of the opening ceremony before changing its programming. Dozens of people gather in public spaces like the portal of the Yara Cinema in Havana to watch the matches.
While the Cuban national team is not in the tournament, "Dichávate" has indeed conquered the world. Released on December 24, 2025, by Ya Ice Dilan, Rey Tony, Hela Busador, and DJ Honda, the song surpassed 40 million views on YouTube and became one of the most played audios on TikTok since January 2026. It reached the number one spot on Peru Songs and number five on Spain Songs.
The global reach of the topic is undeniable. Vinicius Jr. posted a story on Instagram with "Dichávate" playing in the background in May, and Maluma uploaded a video featuring the song that garnered 4.2 million views on TikTok. In February, Cuban dancers from Bad Bunny's dance crew brought the performance to Super Bowl 2026.
This paradox is precisely what Geyla's video captures: Cuba cannot participate in the World Cup as a sports nation, but culturally, it is everywhere. The Cuban rhythm resonates in the phones of the stars of world football, in stadiums, and on the biggest stages on the planet, while the national team watches the tournament from the outside and fans on the island look for a screen to watch the matches.
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