British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is hosting his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney at Everton’s Carabao Cup tie against this evening.

The pair have a shared affection for the Merseyside club, which is one of England’s most historic clubs.

Burnham became prime minister in July, and in his first call with Carney two days later promised to “roll out the blue carpet” — a reference to Everton’s blue kit — and host the Canadian premier at a game.

The leaders will hold bilateral talks in Liverpool before the match, likely to cover their shared aims to seek closer ties with Europe, a strong NATO defence alliance and growth in trade.

After that, for 90 minutes their shared aim will be for Everton to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Hill-Dickinson Stadium.

Burnham has spoken about his lifelong support for Everton, going to matches since he was a child in the 1970s, and he has continued to go to games when possible as prime minister.

Carney has said cousins in Liverpool fuelled his Everton fandom, and has previously attended Everton matches — especially while living in Britain during a seven year stint as Bank of England governor.

Mr Burnham is facing calls to ensure the UK does not fall behind its international allies after the European Union opened the door to Canada becoming its first ‘associate member’.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen put forward the status as Ottawa and Brussels manage the fallout from trade tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.

She indicated both sides would collaborate across manufacturing, AI, critical minerals and energy, though the fine details of any deal must still be negotiated.

European Union lawmakers gave a standing ovation after she made the proposal and then walked over to embrace Mr Carney, who was in the European Parliament to hear her annual State of the Union address.

New partnerships were needed “in the cold fragility of today’s world,” von der Leyen told the assembly in Strasbourg, without detailing what associate membership would mean.

Experts calculate that Brexit has wiped up to 8 per cent off UK GDP through increased red tape and lost trade.

Mr Burnham claims he will be “bolder” than his predecessor when resetting ties, while respecting Sir Keir Starmer’s refusal to re-enter the single market or customs union, or permit free movement—Labour’s ‘red lines’.

Nick Boles, the former Tory minister who helped to prepare Labour for office before it entered government in 2024, said the idea of associate membership was “very positive and it is definitely something the UK should explore”.

Last month Mr Boles published a blueprint he believes could see Britain strike a deal with EU leaders that would protect the continent and offer the UK a much-needed economic boost, by effectively trading defence capability and access to the single market in a new European confederation.