Why England are using a darts anthem as their World Cup goal song

England supporters at the 2026 World Cup have been treated to an unusual goal celebration: the dance track 'Chase the Sun' by Planet Funk, a song more commonly associated with major darts events such as the World Darts Championship and Premier League Darts. The song was played four times during England's 4-2 victory over Croatia in their opening match on Wednesday night, as the Football Association selected it as the team's dedicated goal song for the tournament.

The choice quickly caught on with fans both in Dallas, where the match was played, and back home. Sections of the crowd could be heard singing along during parts of the game, even when the song was not being played. The track joins a diverse list of goal songs chosen by other nations for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

How goal songs are chosen

Football associations from each of the 48 participating nations were asked to select two songs each: one to be played after every goal scored, and another to be played at the conclusion of a match if the team wins. The process is straightforward, with associations free to choose any track they feel represents their team or country.

England's victory song, played after the final whistle against Croatia, was 'Three Lions' by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner, and The Lightning Seeds. Clips of the squad singing 'Wonderwall' by Oasis back to the fans have also gone viral. Australia used 'Land Down Under' by Men At Work as their victory song following their 2-0 win over Turkey, with footage of the song ringing out across the stadium widely shared online.

Notable goal song selections

Scotland opted for 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)' by The Proclaimers. Australia chose 'Thunderstruck' by AC/DC, while France selected 'One More Time' by Daft Punk. Co-hosts the United States went with a remixed version of 'Free Bird' by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Fans of Germany and Curacao heard 'Major Tom' by Peter Schilling—a song inspired by David Bowie—seven times during Germany's thrashing of the debutants.

Some choices raised eyebrows. Austria selected 'Maria (I Like It Loud)' by dance artist Scooter. The Czech Republic chose a modernised, upbeat version of the football fan anthem 'Seven Nation Army', originally by The White Stripes, released by Mickie Krause. Switzerland picked Gala's 'Freed From Desire', a track that has become a staple at sporting events.

Growing trend of goal songs

Goal songs are becoming increasingly popular across football, with clubs such as Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Crystal Palace already using them. During the first full round of group stage fixtures, 40 of the 48 nations scored at least one goal, meaning all sides have had their dedicated goal song played at least once. The trend adds a new layer of atmosphere to matches, allowing fans to celebrate with a familiar tune after each score.