With the World Cup less than five months away, Toronto is gearing up to host games during the international event, and spending hundreds of millions of dollars to do it.
The World Cup officially kicks off in June, with its first Canadian match taking place right here at Toronto’s BMO Field, between the national men’s team and the UEFA on June 12. However, preparations for the event have been underway for years in the city.
Between permanent infrastructure changes, stadium expansion, and extensive planning for hosting the event, here’s a breakdown of how much it is costing the city to host the world’s biggest soccer tournament.
Read More
HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING?
Toronto’s City Council has approved a total budget of $380 million to host the FIFA World Cup. As the city is expected to host six of the 13 matches to be held in Canada, the budget represents about $63.33 million per game.
A city spokesperson tells Now Toronto that out of the entire budget, $226.353 million will be used for operating costs of running the event, and $153.647 in capital costs to support necessary services linked to the games, including to provide safety, transportation, tournament and venue operations, mobility planning, city operations, and community initiatives.
Part of the capital costs will also support investment in city-owned assets, including the BMO Field and an official training facility at Centennial Park.
Last year, the city, in partnership with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), announced a series of upgrades to its BMO Field ahead of the games, including increasing its capacity to 45,000 by adding 17,000 temporary seats to accommodate fans, upgrading players’ locker rooms, and the stadium’s broadcast infrastructure to allow for international coverage.
According to the city, investments in the stadium alone came to $132.9 million for the city, and $25.1 million from MLSE.
Read More
WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM?
With millions of dollars required to host the massive event, the city says funding is coming from contributions from all three levels of government, a temporary increase in its Municipal Accommodation Tax and other sources.
Approximately 53 per cent of the funding for the World Cup will be delivered from the federal and provincial governments, including:
- $104,340 million for operational and capital expenses from a funding agreement with the federal government, which has already been signed;
- $97 million from the Province of Ontario, part of a conditional agreement with the city, which determines the funding should be used only for permanent investments in public infrastructure that will outlast the World Cup. Although the province has committed to the agreement in a letter to the city in 2023, it has yet to officially sign the agreement.
A city spokesperson told Now Toronto that although the Ontario government has announced the $97 million support for the event, it is still in the process to “confirm funding responsibilities.”
“The City of Toronto continues to work with the Government of Ontario to confirm funding responsibilities and ensure contributions align with operational needs for hosting FIFA World Cup 2026,” the spokesperson said.
Other city funding sources include:
- $79,940 million from the city’s reserve funds, which were approved as part of earlier years’ budgets, in addition to revenue from overperforming Municipal Accommodation Tax from 2024.
- $56.6 million from a Municipal Accommodation Tax applied to hotels and short-term rentals, which has been temporarily increased by 2.5 per cent from June 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026 by the city;
- $34,620 million from commercial rights sales and rental fees;
- $7.5 million from other funding, including donations by the FIFA World Cup Champions Table, merchandise sales, music royalties, etc.
HOW MUCH MONEY IS THE CITY MAKING BY HOSTING THE WORLD CUP?
According to the city, an economic assessment released by Deloitte Canada in 2024 estimates that the World Cup could generate up to $940 million in the GTA. This amount includes $520 million in GDP growth, $340 million in labour income, and $25 million in government revenue.
Additionally, the event is also estimated to create over 6,600 jobs between June 2023 and August 2026.
“The tournament is expected to generate significant economic, cultural and community benefits, supporting tourism, hospitality and local businesses while contributing to long-term economic recovery and growth in the region,” a city spokesperson told Now Toronto.
“The City is working closely with FIFA and government partners to deliver a safe, successful and memorable tournament, while balancing costs and benefits, and ensuring public investments provide meaningful long-term value for residents.”
Meanwhile, the city says the tournament is also “an opportunity to showcase Toronto as a global city,” and that it is focused on delivering long-lasting benefits beyond the event.
