In brief
Former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau responded to criticism after missing Canada’s 2026 World Cup opening match to watch his girlfriend, pop superstar Katy Perry, perform in Los Angeles. Trudeau posted a short statement about "supportive boyfriend duties" and added a Canadian flag emoji. Fans on social media slammed the move, calling him a traitor and fraud, while the pair were seen enjoying the game together. The match also featured Perry’s rendition of the song "Wonder" and a dramatic kiss between the two. Trudeau and Perry have been publicly linked since mid‑2025 and confirmed their relationship on Instagram earlier this year.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has responded to criticism for skipping his country's first World Cup match to attend a USA game, where his girlfriend, pop superstar Katy Perry, performed.
"Sometimes supportive boyfriend duties call. But you know who I'm rooting for to take the Cup," he posted on social media, adding a Canadian flag emoji.
The opening matches in Toronto and Los Angeles took place hours apart.
Cameras caught Perry running off stage to greet Trudeau with a kiss. Throughout the game, the pair were shown in televised clips sipping beers and canoodling in the stands. Some Canadians were not pleased.
One X user from Toronto called it a "slap in the face of this country. Distasteful doesn't begin to cover it".
Others called Trudeau a "traitor" and a "fraud" as clips went viral on social media.
The former PM missed Canada’s 1‑1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, which started at 15:00 pm EDT on Friday.
Instead, he watched the USA beat Paraguay 4‑1 in Los Angeles, with kick‑off at 21:00 EDT.
Perry helped open the first World Cup game in the US with a rendition of the little‑known song "Wonder" from her 2024 album 143.
She had teased deciding against performing one of her chart‑topping hits, telling People Magazine that "it's very fitting for the ceremonial song that I get to sing".
Trudeau and Perry have been publicly linked since July 2025 and officially confirmed their relationship with an Instagram post in December.
Trudeau was married for 18 years to TV host Sophie Grégoire, but they announced their split in 2023. They have three children. Perry was married to English comedian Russell Brand from 2010‑12.
Getty Images Katy Perry performs at World Cup opening ceremony
