Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who left office in 2025, received criticism for skipping Canada’s first FIFA World Cup 2026 match to watch the United States beat Paraguay at a Los Angeles stadium while his girlfriend, pop superstar Katy Perry, performed.
Trudeau posted a tweet saying, "Sometimes supportive boyfriend duties call. But you know who I'm rooting for to take the Cup," and added a Canadian flag emoji.
The Canadians played Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto at 3:00 p.m. UTC, while the U.S. opened its campaign six hours later in Los Angeles.
Clips of Perry greeting Trudeau with a kiss and the two sharing beers were widely circulated, but many Canadians decried the decision as a breach of patriotic duty, calling him a “traitor.”
Trudeau and Perry began dating publicly in mid‑2025 and confirmed their relationship in December. Their high‑profile histories—Trudeau’s 18‑year marriage that ended in 2023 and Perry’s brief 2010‑12 marriage to comedian Russell Brand—add another layer to the public scrutiny.
