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.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
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"
