Sube la Marea Remix: Panama’s Soccer Anthem
- May 8, 2026
By Alexa Carolina Chacón
In Panorama, Sube la Marea Remix is presented as a cultural portrait of Panama ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The production brings together 19 artists and celebrates the country’s identity through its diversity and energy. More than music, it is an emotional symbol that unites fans in a shared collective feeling.
Panama sounds for the World Cup: An anthem that unites identity and emotion
When Panama qualified for its first World Cup in 2018, Copa Airlines responded with a song that became more than a sports anthem: it became part of the country’s emotional DNA. Eight years later, with the national team heading to its second World Cup, the airline released Sube la Marea Remix, a production that not only updates the original track but elevates it to another level. The remix brings together 19 of Panama’s most representative artists to amplify the song’s energy and transform it into a collective expression of support for the national team at the 2026 World Cup. The result is a musical experience that is a music video, a cultural documentary, and a declaration of national identity.
An anthem that goes beyond music: Sube la Marea Remix turns Panamanian identity into a collective shout ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The best of panamanian music
The production features artists such as Rubén Blades, Omar Alfanno, Erika Ender, Sech, Nando Boom, Idania Dowman, Osvaldo Ayala, Ingrid De Ycaza, Alejandro Torres, Jhonathan Chávez, Boza, Kafu Banton, Samy and Sandra Sandoval, Kako and Doralis, Los Rabanes, Los Beachers and La Súper Banda de Colón. Behind the scenes, the Gaitanes brothers composed and produced the track, Andrés González directed the shoot, and Star5 Ogilvy handled creative direction and audiovisual production. More than 100 people were involved in the filming and editing process, which took place in multiple locations across the country.
Twenty-five years on the same field
Few brands can claim a relationship with a national team as solid and sustained as the relationship Copa Airlines has with La Marea Roja. Marco Ocando, Copa’s Director of Marketing and Loyalty Programs, puts it clearly, “We have been supporting the national team for nearly 25 years, through both good times and bad.” Sube la Marea Remix represents the most ambitious expression of that relationship. “It is an opportunity to leave a legacy and to connect with people in a memorable way that endures in their imagination.”
25 years playing together: a bond that goes beyond football, turning support into legacy, identity, and pride for an entire country.
The Panamanian Football Federation notes that this bond “has grown stronger over the years and has become increasingly aligned with the vision of doing things right and representing the country with dignity.” The Federation also notes that Panama’s progress in soccer—including advancements in women’s soccer—has evolved alongside this institutional support.
Panama, its culture, and soccer—frame by frame
The most important creative decision was easy to say, but complex to execute: making Panama, not Copa Airlines, the star of the video. “We decided not to make a commercial or intervene in the story, but to tell it,” explains Jorge Heilbron, the video’s creative director.
The visual starting point was a rejection of the postcard version of Panama. “We wanted a living Panama. The icons are there—the Canal, Casco Antiguo, the Biomuseo, the beaches—but what mattered was seeing them in motion.” Locations also included Rommel Fernández Stadium and the Seafood Market, as well as Portobelo, Bocas del Toro, Azuero, and Playa Venao.
When reality surpasses perfection: a living portrait of Panama.
Director Andrés González built his approach on a similar principle: each artist appears in an iconic space from their own province. “Consistency wasn’t about everything looking the same, but about feeling real.” To achieve this, he turned the audiences at the shoots into unwitting co-producers by playing the music before filming. “That created an immediate reaction. People connected and organic moments emerged—dancing, laughter, glances.” Two cameras captured it all: one focused on the artist, the other on spontaneous interactions.
Heilbron describes the project this way: “We weren’t looking for perfection, but something spontaneous and alive. More than images, we wanted to evoke feelings—joy, pride, and belonging.” For Ocando, the video serves a dual purpose. He says, “It shows the world our diversity, and reminds Panamanians of our identity as a multicultural and multifaceted country.”
An anthem updated without losing its soul
Building the remix was, according to Ricardo and Alberto Gaitán, like assembling a puzzle where every piece had to fit perfectly. Copa Airlines selected the artists based on relevance and trajectory, while the Gaitanes determined how each would fit into the song.
The musical approach was expansive. “We combined salsa, urban, and elements of cumbia and rock.” Six new artists were added in newly created sections, ensuring their inclusion felt natural.
Los Beachers also joined, contributing backing vocals and what the producers describe as “a masterful solo” by Lloyd Gallimore.
The rhythm that brings a whole country together
For the Gaitanes, the result transcends music. “Sube la Marea has become a musical symbol of sports.” For Ocando, the most important aspect is demonstrating that Panama’s diversity ultimately creates a single rhythm—one that is distinctly ours.
Soccer is not the subject of the video, but it is the reason it exists. As Heilbron explains, “Without the original song and its significance to fans, there would be no organic reactions to capture, no story to tell.”
For the Federation, “more than a song, Sube la Marea is an emotional meeting point. Ultimately, we want not just a team ready to compete, but an entire country ready to support it.”
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