The NFL’s Buffalo Bills have made a surprising announcement amidst the ongoing trade tensions involving President Donald Trump and Canada. The team revealed on social media that both the Canadian national anthem “O Canada” and the American anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner” will be performed before their September 17 home opener against the Detroit Lions at the new Highmark Stadium.
This will be the first time in Highmark Stadium’s history that both anthems will be celebrated during the pregame ceremony. AuliÊ»i Cravalho, an actress and singer, is set to perform the American anthem, while the Toronto band Barenaked Ladies will sing “O Canada.”
In Buffalo, it is uncommon to hear the Canadian national anthem before NFL games, although it is regularly played before NHL games, even when the Sabres face American teams. Fans at KeyBank Center in Buffalo sang “O Canada” in April after a microphone malfunction before a Sabres playoff game against the Boston Bruins.
The escalating trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. saw Trump signing proclamations to ban several Canadian imports, including alcohol and motorcycles, starting September 29. Additionally, a 50% tariff will be imposed on various other products in the coming weeks. This move follows Canadian retaliatory tariffs that came into effect after failed trade negotiations last month.
Prime Minister Mark Carney explained Canada’s decision not to sign a trade deal under deep U.S. tariffs, stating, “We were not prepared to compromise Canada’s sovereignty or undermine our key industries.”
The Buffalo Bills’ owners, Terry and Kim Pegula, purchased the team for $1.4 billion from the estate of late owner Ralph Wilson in 2014. In 2024, NBA Hall of Famers Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, along with former U.S. National Team soccer player Jozy Altidore, joined the Bills’ ownership group as limited partners for the first time in franchise history.
