'Boyfriend duties call': Ex-PM Justin Trudeau explains why he ditched Canada's FIFA World Cup opener for US

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday explained why he opted to attend the US opening campaign of the FIFA World Cup 2026, instead of attending the Canadian one. While Trudeau did not attend Canada's opening game against Bosnia-Herzegovina, he garnered attention after he was snapped with American singer Katy Perry and his girlfriend at the USA’s 4-1 win against Paraguay.

While re-sharing the New York Times article on the matter, Trudeau said that it was his "supportive boyfriend duties" that made him choose the US campaign over his own country's "Sometimes supportive boyfriend duties call. But you know who I’m rooting for to take the Cup," Trudeau wrote on X, adding the flag of Canada at the end of his tweet, indicating his support.

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It is pertinent to note that the Canadian opener ended in a 1-1 draw against Bosnia. Many outlets soon started to pick up Trudeau’s decision to miss his nation’s opening game, instead opting for the American campaign.

However, the major reason behind Trudeau's decision was that his girlfriend Katy Perry was performing at the opening ceremony. The 54-year-old former Canadian premier soon started dating the 41-year-old American pop star after ending his 18 years of marriage with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau.

The power couple made it public

During the first half of the game, Trudeau and Perry were spotted sitting together in one of the luxury suites at SoFi Stadium (called Los Angeles Stadium during the World Cup) as the Americans raced out to a 3-0 lead behind two goals from striker Folarin Balogun and a Paraguayan own goal.

It is pertinent to note that while Canada's game kicked off in Toronto at 3 p.m. ET, the United States’ game started at 9 p.m. ET. After the photos of the couple from the World Cup game started to go viral, Canadians slammed their former Prime Minister for skipping his own nation's World Cup opener.

“Seeing Justin Trudeau at the USA-Paraguay game instead of the Canadian one just pissed me right off wtfffff,” an irate critic wrote on X. A second questioned, “Trudeau decided to be at this game instead of the Canada game. He might be in love with Katy Perry.”

Another user went on to brand Trudeau as a "fraud". “Justin Trudeau at the USA game with Katy Perry instead of the Canada game earlier today, holy fraud," the user wrote on X. Meanwhile, another replied to the post, calling Trudeau "the most hated man in Canada". “The most hated man in Canada, Justin Trudeau, at the USA soccer game with his space cadet girlfriend. Just the worst. Ever," the user wrote.