The national anthem represents unity, pride, and love for the country. People usually show respect for it by standing, no matter if it’s their own country’s anthem or a neighbor’s.
However, when the U.S. national anthem played at the WWE Elimination Chamber, the Canadian crowd displayed disrespect. They created a big controversy by booing the respectful moment loudly.
At the Rogers Centre, singer Elizabeth Irving performed the national anthem, but the crowd started booing loudly. Her singing was barely audible on TV due to the loud boos.
She sang the American anthem, ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ while an American flag was shown on the big screen. The crowd kept booing until she switched to singing ‘O Canada.’
The US Anthem got probably the loudest Boo's I've ever tonight at #EliminationChamber.
— Jacob Pacheco (@JacobPacheco6) March 2, 2025
30,000+ inside Rogers Centre.
And then listen to the outstanding roar for the Canadian National Anthem. Insane. #WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/nvr8FbNkUl
As soon as she did, the boos stopped, and the mood in the arena changed. The crowd, now filled with pride, cheered and sang along with the Canadian anthem.
The controversial moment started with the Women’s Elimination Chamber match, but the moment caused a lot of reactions online, including a strong comment from Pat McAfee.
Pat McAfee responds to WWE Elimination Chamber anthem controversy
The incident where fans booed the U.S. national anthem has caused a big argument on social media. Fans from both the U.S. and Canada have shared their opinions. Pat McAfee, known for speaking his mind, didn’t hold back.
During the live show, he said, “Kinda sucks that [the event’s] in the terrible country of Canada that booed our national anthem to start this entire thing.”
These are the MOST STACKED Elimination Chambers that the WWE has EVER had..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 2, 2025
THEY BOOED OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM TO START THIS ENTIRE THING..
BUT IT'S GONNA BE A HISTORIC NIGHT #WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/jy8cAYHftd
There might be some tension between the U.S. and Canada that led to the booing of the anthem at WWE Elimination Chamber 2025. Pat’s comments also pointed out the ongoing issues between U.S. and Canadian fans, partly due to political and economic differences.
