Morissette shines, Bublé fumbles Canada's World Cup opener

Alanis Morissette delivered one of the more memorable national anthem performances in recent Canadian sporting history Friday, belting out a bilingual "O Canada" at centre circle as fighter jets streaked overhead to open Canada's first FIFA World Cup match on home soil — a Group B clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium.

The Canadian Press, via the Medicine Hat News, reports that the Ottawa-born alt-rocker wore a satiny red shirt as she held the anthem's final note, with the crowd and Team Canada players singing alongside her. Michael Bublé also performed during the opening ceremony, singing his 2022 track "Bring It On Home To Me" with Toronto's Sole Power Choir — though the B.C. pop crooner's bigger moment came in a pre-match broadcast skit in which he played a version of himself who had apparently forgotten about the gig entirely. TSN commentator James Duthie rang him up, a flustered Bublé called sprinter Andre De Grasse and soccer icon Christine Sinclair for advice, and B.C. basketball legend Steve Nash eventually suggested he open with a strong track. Nash's recommendation: Nickelback. Bublé obliged, delivering a pep talk to the country set to the Alberta rock band's "When We Stand Together."

The ceremony was the biggest in FIFA's history, befitting a tournament jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico through July 19. Toronto comedian and World Cup ambassador Will Arnett addressed the crowd from the pitch, echoing Bublé's theme of national unity. Earlier performances featured Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, Nora Fatehi and Winnipeg folk artist William Prince, who opened the show alongside Indigenous dancers in traditional dress. Halifax-raised producer Cirkut, born Henry Walter, executive produced FIFA's official World Cup 2026 album — a fact worth noting for Canadians tracking how much of this tournament's soundtrack carries a domestic stamp.

Hours before kickoff, thousands of Canadian supporters filled downtown Toronto streets in red and white, while Bosnian fans held their own march nearby. Serbian-born violinist Aleksandar Gajic performed Bosnia-Herzegovina's anthem before the match got underway.

South of the border, the U.S. opening ceremony in Los Angeles was set to feature Katy Perry — who has been making headlines for her relationship with former prime minister Justin Trudeau — along with Anitta, Future, LISA, Rema and Tyla ahead of the U.S. match against Paraguay.

Cirkut told The Canadian Press earlier this month that political tensions between the three host nations had coloured conversations around the tournament, but argued music offered a different lens. "I can be a Canadian, hanging out with Americans and someone from Mexico, and we all get along," he said. "Music can transcend all that."

For Hat Country fans watching from home, this is the World Cup Canada has waited decades to host. Friday's ceremony — fighter jets, Morissette, Nickelback and all — was a reasonable opening statement.