As the only one of the three World Cup 2026 co-hosts staging the men’s tournament for the first time, Canada had a momentous occasion to mark at Toronto Stadium. This was the country's chance to introduce itself on football’s biggest stage as a host nation with its own histories, communities and musical voice.
But that sense of importance was not reflected in the crowd.
The stadium lacked the sheer fervour and, frankly, the volume of the opening ceremony staged at Mexico City Stadium a day earlier. There were empty seats in Toronto, perhaps because the match was taking place on a Friday, in the middle of the work day.
And perhaps that is why, once again, an opening ceremony for this World Cup did not live up to its billing.
It also raised the question of how much these ceremonies have really been planned as cultural moments. The Canadian ceremony had a better narrative than its Mexican counterpart, with the mosaic concept reflected in images across the stadium, from flags to uniforms: many pieces, many communities, one national picture. But even with that rich material, it still felt as though the ceremony failed to live up to its potential.
Strong Indigenous opening
The show began with what was almost a tribute to Canada’s Indigenous peoples, led by singer-songwriter William Prince from Peguis First Nation in Manitoba.
He welcomed the world from centre stage with the declaration: “We gather once more, from coast to coast, from First People of this land. This is more than a moment. This is true connection.”
Prince continued to speak of how Canada’s Indigenous community culture is a tapestry of songs, art, crafts and dance.
Then the ceremony descended into a Fifa product. The event could have been a real celebration of Canada’s musical pedigree. This is the country that gave us Neil Young. It gave us The Weeknd. It gave us Alanis Morissette, who would appear later for the national anthem.
Alessia Cara emerged from behind a golden ball at the centre of the stage, wearing a red tracksuit and performing a medley that included Wild Things and Fire. She performed inside the gilded frame of the ball, while the surrounding visuals leaned into Canadian nature and animals, including dolphins and a moose.
Nora Fatehi then arrived with Siir Siir, adding more energy to what appeared, much like at the other ceremony, to be a tightly pre-recorded performance. Fatehi at least brought a smouldering screen presence and some movement.
Elyanna and Jessie Reyez bring headline moment
The best main performance came from Palestinian-Chilean Elyanna and Canadian Jessie Reyez with Illuminate. Rightly, it felt like the headline set of the 15-minute ceremony. The song is one of the better tracks from the World Cup album, arguably stronger as a tournament song than Shakira and Burna Boy’s Dai Dai in Mexico.
It also did the most to make the mosaic concept feel real.
In a ceremony dominated by red, Elyanna stood apart in white. She wore a flowing Arab-inspired outfit with Palestinian tatreez and a keffiyeh-style cloth hanging from her hip.
It was a fine ending, but by then the ceremony had begun to feel like an afterthought rather than the evocative start of the tournament.
Now attention turns to the final opening ceremony in the US, led by Katy Perry. After Mexico and Canada both promised more than they delivered, the show in Los Angeles may have to save the World Cup spectacle.
