The soundtrack to Canada’s World Cup summer is missing some notes. How fitting.

Has the Kennedy Center seen a more eclectic megamix of musical stylings in its half century of existence? With so much soul-destroying political prostration to get to, FIFA rushed the classy, feel-good stuff out of the way nice and early Friday. Andrea Bocelli opened the 2026 World Cup draw with a typically stunning rendition of “Nessun dorma.” Sometimes there’s no getting away from a cliché: It was a hard act to follow.

To their credit, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and the Village People didn’t even try, squawking through wretched numbers. In between, the ceremony had dragged on so long that Lauryn Hill was actually on time for her performance.

If fates hadn’t denied us the possibility, would Mea

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