The Toronto Blue Jays were worried about their Opening Day game against the Baltimore Orioles in Canada. Tension between the United State and Canada is at an all-time high, and as we learned the hard way during the 4 Nations Face-Off, Canadians are unhappy about the current state of things.
The United States national anthem is routinely booed in Canada. We can thank the Trump administration for that, as the United States has threatened Canada with tariffs and suggested that they should become the 51st state. I hate to be the one to break this to Trump, but that is not happening anytime soon. But you knew that already.
Baseball is America's pastime, which makes the anthems in Toronto all the more complicated.
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Who sang the National Anthem in Toronto for Opening Day?
Per broadcaster Hazel Mae, both national anthems were supposed to be sung by the Toronto production of The Lion King. That includes the Star Spangled Banner. However, that does not mean Canadian fans will sit by and avoid a natural reaction, which is to boo given how they have been treated by the United States of late. The reaction was not a positive one.
A smattering of boos spreads across the crowd here at Rogers Centre during the U.S. national anthem. This is the first MLB game in Canada since the start of the second Trump administration. pic.twitter.com/i6kQUDNVd5
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) March 27, 2025
Conflict between the two countries has increased since Donald Trump took office in January 2025. What at first sounded like campaign rhetoric turned into a full-fledged problem between the two administrations. Despite a likely change in governance in Canada, our neighbors up north are not thrilled with how they have been treated, and it's tough to blame them.
Star-Spangled banner booed mercilessly in Canada
Canadians are unhappy with the United States these days. What was once a friendly relationship between two allies is no longer in play. The Trump administration has made sure of that, and the political opinion has entered the world of sports. The 4 Nations Face-off was our first warning, as Team USA was booed during the Star Spangled Banner in Montreal. This resulted in multiple fights occurring just after the opening face-off. Fan reaction had a real impact on the game itself, with Team USA winning during group play, but Canada defeating the Americans in the Final. Again – this was merely an exhibition.
It should come as no surprise that a regular season baseball game had the same result.