Ed Sheeran has returned to the Global 200 top 10 through songwriting contributions to two different hits. The FIFA World Cup 2026 official song "Dai Dai" currently holds the number one spot, while "Animal" by KATSEYE also entered the top 10.
The 56.8 million stream peak of "Dai Dai"
The track "Dai Dai," designated as the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, currently leads the Global 200 chart. Ed Sheeran is one of five credited writers on the song, collaborating with Shakira, Jon Bellion, Ahmed Saghir, and Alexander Castillo Vasquez. This achievement marks a significant retrun to the top of the charts for Sheeran, who had not topped this specific list since 2021.
Despite its current dominance, the song experienced its first decline in worldwide consumption since its May release. According to Luminate, "Dai Dai" saw a 2% dip in streams, totaling 56.8 million for the tracking week ending July 30. This decline coincides with the conclusion of the World Cup, suggesting the song's chart performance is heavily tethered to the tournament's visibility.
KATSEYE’s first top 10 via "Animal"
Beyond the World Cup anthem, Ed Sheeran's songwriting influence extended to the group KATSEYE. Their track "Animal" debuted with 29.8 million global streams in its first week, securing the group's first-ever top 10 appearance on the Global 200. As reported in the source, this performance significantly outperforms KATSEYE's previous high, as their song "Gabriella" only reached No. 16 last year.
The simultaneous success of "Dai Dai" and "Animal" effectively allows Ed Sheeran to bookend the top 10 this week. this dual presence highlights a strategic shift toward diversifying his chart footprint through collaborations and songwriting credits rather than relying solely on solo artist releases.
The 300-week legacy of "Perfect" and "Shape of You"
While new hits are driving current headlines, Ed Sheeran's catalog continues to show unprecedented endurance. Two of his most famous tracks, "Perfect" and "Shape of You," remain on the Global 200 rankings six years after the chart's inception. "Perfect" currently sits at No. 148, marking its 308th week on the chart, having appeared on every single edition since the chart launched in September 2020.
Similarly, "Shape of You" holds the No. 90 spot in its 307th week. The report notes that the song has only dropped off the list once, during the peak holiday season of December 30, 2023.. This longevity suggests that Sheeran's early-career output from the album Divide has transitioned into "permanent" chart fixtures that provide a baseline of global visibility regardless of his current release cycle.
The songwriting pattern from "Permission to Dance" to "Sapphire"
Sheeran's current success as a writer echoes a pattern established years ago. Five years ago, he achieved his first Global 200 No. 1 not as a performer, but as a co-writer for "Permission to Dance," which topped the charts on July 24, 2021. He worked on that track alongside Jenna Andrews, Steve Mac, and McDaid.
However, a gap remaiins in his recent history as a lead artist. While he touched the top 10 in June 2025 with "Sapphire," which debuted at No. 8, his most consistent recent wins have come from the periphery. This raises a specific question: is Sheeran intentionally pivoting toward a "hit-maker" role for other artists to maintain global relevance without the exhaustion of solo touring and promotion? The source does not provide a statement from Sheeran's camp regarding this shift in strategy, leaving the motivation behind this songwriting surge unverified.
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