In a surprising personal turn amid the 2026 co-hosted FIFA World Cup, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau opted to attend the United States’ opening tournament match against Paraguay this past Friday instead of cheering on his own country’s squad in their opening game held in Toronto. The high-profile appearance drew immediate public attention, as Canada shares hosting duties for this year’s World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico, making the Toronto match a landmark moment for Canadian soccer.
Trudeau, who served as Canada’s head of government from 2015 to 2025, quickly clarified his decision on social media platform X over the weekend. He explained that his attendance at the match at Inglewood, California’s SoFi Stadium stemmed from a commitment to his girlfriend, global pop star Katy Perry, who headlined the pre-game performance ahead of the U.S. versus Paraguay fixture.
“Sometimes supportive boyfriend duties call. But you know who I’m rooting for to take the Cup,” Trudeau wrote in his social media post, confirming that despite his presence at the U.S. match, his championship support remains with his home nation’s team.
The scheduling of the two opening matches created an unavoidable conflict for Trudeau: Canada’s 3 p.m. EDT opening draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina finished just hours before the U.S. match kicked off six hours later in California. Canada left their opening match with a 1-1 tie, while the host United States secured a solid 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their opening outing. Full coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available via The Associated Press’ dedicated coverage hub.