Govind Tekale
The Buffalo Bills opened their first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium on September 17 with both national anthems — an acknowledgment of the team’s longstanding relationship with fans across the Canadian border.
Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies performed “O Canada” as part of the pregame ceremony before the Bills faced the Detroit Lions. Auliʻi Cravalho followed with the U.S. national anthem. The performance reflected the Bills’ deliberate effort to recognize Southern Ontario and the Toronto region, where the team draws a consistent cross-border fan base. Reuters confirmed the Bills’ announcement of both anthems ahead of the game.
Thousands of Canadian fans regularly travel across U.S. border checkpoints to attend Bills games in Buffalo. The Bills have cultivated that relationship for years, previously hosting games in Toronto. The Highmark Stadium opener gave the team a formal moment to mark the cross-border connection at its new home.
Travelers crossing from Canada on game days should expect extended commercial inspection wait times — up to 60 minutes — at the Peace and Queenston-Lewiston bridges. U.S. Customs and Border Protection lists several acceptable Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative documents, including passports, passport cards, enhanced driver licenses and trusted-traveler cards such as NEXUS.
The Highmark Stadium opened this season as the Bills’ new home. It replaces the previous facility and marks the start of a new chapter for one of the NFL’s most geographically distinctive fan bases.
