Justin Trudeau, the former Prime Minister of Canada, showed up at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on June 12 to watch the United States men’s national team take on Paraguay in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He was not there to scout the competition for his home country’s squad. He was there as a spectator, cheering for the Americans.

At the exact same time, Canada was playing their own World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto. The match ended 1-1. Trudeau was roughly 3,500 kilometers away, sitting courtside for a different country’s game.

The optics problem

Trudeau wasn’t alone at SoFi Stadium. He was accompanied by pop star Katy Perry, who headlined the opening ceremony with a performance of her song “Wonder.” Perry reportedly arrived barefoot to embrace Trudeau after her set. The two have been publicly linked for roughly a year.

Canadian social media reacted about as well as you’d expect. Criticism flooded platforms including X, Reddit, and Instagram, with many users calling Trudeau a “fraud” and questioning his national loyalty.

Context matters, but doesn’t help

Trudeau served as Canada’s Prime Minister from 2015 until March 2025. He is no longer in office, which technically makes him a private citizen free to attend whatever sporting event he pleases.

Canada co-hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico is a historic moment for Canadian soccer. The US vs. Paraguay match carried obvious marquee appeal as the tournament’s opening fixture. SoFi Stadium, the $5B venue that hosted Super Bowl LVI, was the stage for the ceremony and Katy Perry’s performance.

Perry’s involvement adds another layer. Her opening ceremony performance made SoFi the cultural epicenter of the day, and Trudeau’s proximity to her throughout the event ensured maximum visibility.

What this actually tells us

During his time as PM, Trudeau faced recurring accusations of prioritizing international optics over domestic concerns. Showing up at the American World Cup opener while Canada played at home fits that storyline.

For Canadian soccer fans specifically, the sting is real. The men’s national team qualifying for a home World Cup is a generational achievement. The 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina was a gritty, meaningful result for a program still building its identity on the world stage.