Canadian Woman Questions Nora Fatehi's FIFA Performance, Sparks Debate

A viral video from Canada stirred a row after a woman criticised the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Toronto, questioning the presence of performer Nora Fatehi and saying she was upset over the presence of Indians at ceremony and that the event did not reflect Canadian culture.

The clip shows a Canadian woman reacting while watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening celebrations at BMO Field in Toronto, where Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi was part of the entertainment line-up. The moment has gone viral on social media.

Nora Fatehi is a Canadian-born entertainer of Moroccan origin who works mainly in Bollywood. She performed her track SIIR SIIR alongside DJ Sanjoy and French singer Vegedream during the Toronto ceremony on June 12. The performance was part of FIFA’s multi-country opening celebrations across Mexico, Canada and US.

In the viral footage, the woman questioned the decision to feature such performances during Canada’s segment of the global event.

“How Is This Our Opening Ceremony?" she asked while reacting to the broadcast. The woman was seen wearing a red T-shirt and black baseball cap. She said she did not believe the performance represented Canada.

“Can someone please f—g explain to me please how this is Canada’s opening ceremony?" she said. She went on to say, “Last time I checked, we’re Canadian. We’re not Indian. That’s not English. We don’t speak Punjabi. We are not Indians. This is Canada. How is this our opening ceremony?"

The comments triggered reactions online, with many netizens pointing out that Nora Fatehi is not Indian by nationality, but a Canadian-born performer of Moroccan heritage who later built her career in India’s entertainment industry. One user responded: "That’s Nora Fatehi, a Bollywood celebrity who was born and raised in Toronto (Jane and finch ) who later on moved to Mumbai. Her ethnicity is Moroccan"

The controversy came as FIFA’s 2026 World Cup marked the first time the opening ceremonies were split across three host nations, with separate events in Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles. In Mexico City, the opening at Estadio Azteca featured Shakira and Burna Boy performing the anthem Dai Dai, along with appearances by J Balvin, Maná, Belinda, Lila Downs and Alejandro Fernández. Toronto’s BMO Field event was themed as a “cultural mosaic” and included performances by Alessia Cara, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi and Vegedream. In Los Angeles, the ceremony at SoFi Stadium featured Katy Perry, Lisa of BLACKPINK, Anitta, Future, Rema and World Cup ambassador Jason Sudeikis.

The viral reaction comes amid debate in Canada about immigration, identity and rising incidents of anti-South Asian sentiment. In recent months, there have been reported cases of verbal abuse against Indian-origin workers in public spaces, including incidents where individuals were told to “go back” to their country. Other clips have shown harassment of Indian couples in public areas using racial slurs.