Justin Trudeau, the former prime minister of Canada, chose love over country on the opening day of the 2026 World Cup.

On Friday night, Trudeau was in Inglewood, Calif., where he watched the United States defeat Paraguay 4-1. Earlier in the day, Canada played Bosnia and Herzegovina to a 1-1 draw in Toronto.

So why did he make that choice?

Clearly as a show of support for his girlfriend, singer Katy Perry, who was part of the pre-match opening ceremony in Inglewood. After the performance, the two watched the match from a box, holding hands.

Trudeau, 54, and Perry, 41, went on their first date last July and were a couple by fall. Around the first of the year, Perry made the relationship official on social media.

Last week, Trudeau and Perry walked their first red carpet together at the Tribeca Festival for the debut of her film, “Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour – Live from Paris.”

It was at the festival that Perry took part in an onstage conversation with People and let her feelings for Trudeau be known, calling him “the love of my life.”

“I feel like a more grounded person in so many aspects of my life,” she said. “I am very in love.”

Trudeau’s lack of attendance in Toronto unsettled some Canadians on social media, who said that since he was prime minister when Canada was named a co-host of the North American World Cup, he should have been on hand.

–Field Level Media