Justin Trudeau gave Canadian football fans a tidy explanation for missing Canada’s World Cup opener: “supportive boyfriend duties.” The former Canadian Prime Minister was in Los Angeles on Friday to watch Katy Perry perform at the United States opening ceremony, while Canada began its tournament against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.

It was a very modern scheduling conflict: national sporting pride on one side, a pop-star girlfriend with a global stage on the other. Trudeau picked the latter, then insisted his loyalties were still with Canada.

Why Justin Trudeau missed Canada’s opening match

The 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, opened with multiple national moments. Perry, 41, performed at the Los Angeles ceremony before the USA’s match against Paraguay.

At the same time, Canada was playing Bosnia and Herzegovina after opening performances in Toronto from Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé. Trudeau, 54, was not in attendance for the Canadian match.

The New York Times noted his absence on social media, writing: “On a day that Canada and the United States both opened their campaigns at the World Cup, Justin Trudeau opted to watch Team USA, where his girlfriend Katy Perry was performing in the opening ceremony.”

Trudeau responded by quoting the post and writing: “Sometimes supportive boyfriend duties call.”

He added a Canadian flag emoji and followed with: “But you know who I’m rooting for to take the Cup.”

Canadian fans were not all amused

The explanation did not land gently with every Canadian supporter. Some shrugged it off as a personal choice. Others thought it was a bad look for a former prime minister on the day Canada opened its World Cup campaign.

One commenter, Canadarescue401, accused Trudeau of “trolling Canadians.” Another user, JVanluyk, called out what they saw as “hypocrisy,” pointing to Trudeau’s earlier messaging about avoiding travel to the United States while, in their words, he was now in the country and spending “like 80%” of his time there.

That may be more internet courtroom than constitutional crisis, but the optics were always going to be awkward. A former national leader skipping Canada’s World Cup opener to attend a US ceremony featuring his partner is not exactly a subtle calendar note.

How Trudeau and Katy Perry became public

Trudeau and Perry first drew attention as a possible couple in late July 2025, when they were seen at what appeared to be a romantic dinner in Montreal.

Not long after, they were photographed embracing on a luxury yacht in California. Trudeau was later spotted in the crowd at Perry’s Montreal concert with his teenage daughter, Ella-Grace, where he appeared to sing along enthusiastically to her hits.

A source told Metro at the time that Perry and Trudeau were “having a lot of fun together.”

“He absolutely loves her sense of humour and thinks she’s incredibly talented,” the source said.

The insider added: “They come from very different backgrounds, but Katy is quite in tune with current affairs and politics. She finds Justin incredibly charming and intelligent.”

Perry has already joked about the romance

In October 2025, Perry appeared to nod to the relationship during a stop on her Lifetimes tour at London’s O2 Arena.

Speaking to the crowd, she said: “London, England, you’re like this on a Monday night after a whole day at work and a whole day at school?

“No wonder I fall for Englishmen all the time… but not anymore,” she added, according to The Sun.

The line was widely read as a reference to her past relationships. Perry was previously married to comedian Russell Brand, a marriage that lasted 14 months. She later became engaged to actor Orlando Bloom in 2019, before the pair split in 2025 after nine years together.

Perry and Bloom share a daughter, Daisy Love Bloom, who was born in August 2020.

Trudeau’s family life after his separation

Trudeau was married to Sophie Grégoire Trudeau from 2005 until their separation in 2023. The two had known each other as children in Montreal and reconnected as adults before beginning their relationship in 2003.

They have three children together:

  • Xavier
  • Ella-Grace
  • Hadrien

In August 2023, Trudeau and Grégoire Trudeau announced they were separating, saying in a joint statement that the decision came “after many meaningful and difficult conversations.”

Since then, they have continued to co-parent and have appeared together at family and national events.

For Trudeau, the World Cup moment now adds a very public footnote to a relationship that was already attracting attention. For Canadian fans, the question was simpler: when the national team kicks off, where should a former prime minister be watching? Trudeau has given his answer. Not everyone is likely to frame it and hang it up.