Ottawa will provide more than $100 million in funding for Toronto to host six FIFA World Cup matches in 2026.
Mayor Olivia Chow and Federal Minister of Sport and Physical Activity, Carla Qualtrough unveiled $104.34 million in federal funding at BMO Field on Friday.
In February, the federal government committed to providing $97 million to facilitate the event; that number has now increased by over $7 million.
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The city said in a press release that the injection of funds will “enhance the infrastructure and logistics necessary to ensure the successful hosting of the event, reflecting the significant economic and cultural benefits associated with hosting a FIFA World Cup.”
The competition will kick off on June 12, 2026 and Toronto will host the first-ever World Cup men’s match played on Canadian soil.
Matches in Toronto conclude with a round of 32 match on July 2, 2026.
Toronto is expected to reap significant economic rewards from hosting that will help its long term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the city says. The tourism, entertainment and hospitality sectors are also expected to see significant growth as a result.
The city is also working with partners to ensure profits made from public funds during the World Cup are used to benefit the community, according to the press release.
Chow said the city was “thrilled” to have received funding from Ottawa and that it was a wonderful opportunity to showcase Toronto on the world stage.
The FIFA World Cup games in Toronto are projected to create more than 3,585 jobs, bring in more than 300,000 foreign visitors and generate approximately $393 million in gross domestic product (GDP) for the city, the press release says.
Ontario is also expected to generate $456 million in GDP from the six matches, and with Vancouver, the World Cup is projected to contribute over $1.2 billion to Canada’s GDP.
More than 3.5 billion people watch the FIFA World Cup every four years.
