Canada's flying World Cup start overshadows the noise around Justin Trudeau

Every World Cup throws up its share of off-pitch noise, and the early days of this tournament were no exception. Former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau drew criticism for choosing to attend the opening ceremony in Los Angeles rather than be present for Canada's involvement, a decision he shrugged off by citing personal priorities. But the sideshow risked overshadowing the more important story: how the co-hosts actually performed on the grass.

For Canada, this World Cup is a landmark. Co-hosting the expanded tournament alongside the United States and Mexico, they carry the weight of a nation's expectation and the rare advantage of home support. The opening ceremony, a glitzy affair packed with global music acts, was the spectacle; the football was the substance, and that is where attention quickly turned.

The hosts have invested years in building a side capable of competing on this stage, and the early signs of intent matter far more than which dignitaries attended which fixture. A strong group-stage showing would do more for the sport's growth in the country than any ceremony, and the players know it. Tournaments on home soil have a way of galvanising teams, and Canada will want to ride that wave deep into the competition.

The Trudeau episode, in truth, says more about the modern collision of celebrity and sport than about the team. A high-profile figure missing a match becomes a talking point precisely because the World Cup is now as much cultural event as sporting one, with opening ceremonies featuring chart-topping acts and global stars. The noise is part of the package, even if it has little bearing on results.

What will define Canada's tournament is whether they can convert home advantage into points. The expanded format gives more nations a route through the group stage, and a co-host with momentum and a passionate crowd behind them is exactly the kind of side that can spring a surprise in the knockout rounds. The platform could not be bigger.

For the neutral, the broader theme is the way this World Cup has captured attention beyond the usual football audience, drawing in casual viewers through its scale and spectacle. That reach is good for the game, provided the action lives up to the billing. So far, the early matches have offered enough drama to keep the focus where it belongs.

The celebrity chatter will fade; the results will not. Canada's job is to make sure it is their football, not the sideshows, that people remember from this home World Cup. For every result and storyline, follow the latest football news.