How Does FIFA Curate Stadium Music For The World Cup? | Billboard On The Record

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Ever wondered how the soundtrack to the world’s biggest sporting events gets made? On this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record, sports DJ and music curator Grayson Repp shares how he found himself at the intersection of sports and music — and what it takes to build the perfect setlist for events like FIFA, the Olympics, the NBA and the NFL. From playing local clubs to stadiums packed with tens of thousands of fans, Repp breaks down how every match, crowd and city requires its own approach, especially when top global leaders are watching. He also explains his World Cup playlist prep and how he turned his love of sports and music into a career as one of the world’s biggest sports DJs. Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record. Love what you hear? Follow Billboard On The Record on Instagram, TikTok, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube @Billboard so you never miss an episode. Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions. 00:00 How Grayson Repp Became FIFA’s World Cup DJ 01:49 From Athlete to DJ 04:27 The Qatar Breakthrough That Changed Everything 06:42 How He Preps Music for a World Cup Match 10:20 Why Mexico Crowds Hit Different 11:48 What It Feels Like to DJ Pitchside at the World Cup 13:23 Cultural Sensitivities and Song Approval at FIFA 16:03 Stadium Tech, Sound Systems and Adapting Live 18:01 DJing the Winter Olympics Halfpipe 21:40 His Biggest FIFA Technical Horror Story 26:24 How FIFA Builds Music Into the World Cup 32:03 Viral World Cup Music Moments 37:24 How FIFA Reviews Songs for Human Rights and Sensitivity 42:18 Creating Vancouver’s Official FIFA Remix With Indigenous Musicians 45:09 What He’s Doing for the 2026 World Cup Host: Kristin Robinson Executive Producers: Diona DaCosta Jade Watson Produced By: Kayla Forman Mateo Vergara Edited By: Rachel Derbyshire ►► Subscribe for more music news: http://blbrd.cm/Proracf ►► See our latest videos: http://blbrd.cm/xOgw6VQ About: Bill