Toronto will be the host of six matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and team Canada’s first game will also be on home soil, however some Torontonians are displeased with how much the event will cost.
On Sunday, the organization announced that the tournament will kick off in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on June 11. Then, on June 12, Canada and the United States will play their opening games at BMO Field and at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium.
The tournament will be hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States, with Canada hosting 13 of the 104 games. This marks the first time Canada has hosted the FIFA Men’s World Cup, since hosting the Women’s World Cup in 2015.
“As Mayor of Toronto, I am thrilled to see our city chosen as a host for six matches in the FIFA World Cup 26. With open arms, Toronto will welcome the world to experience the rich diversity and dynamism of our multicultural city,” Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement on Sunday.
The city says the theme is “The World in a City” and it will showcase Toronto’s passion for soccer and multicultural identity. The city adds that the upcoming tournament will bring major benefits economically, culturally and community-wise.
“FIFA World Cup 26™ games in Toronto are expected to create more than 3,585 jobs, welcome more than 300,000 visitors from out of town and generate approximately $393 million in gross domestic product (GDP) for Toronto,” the city said in a release.
“Additionally, Ontario is expected to benefit from more than $456 million in GDP. Canada is expected to see more than $1.2 billion in GDP from the Vancouver and Toronto games combined,” it continued.
Not only will Canada host the first-ever FIFA World Cup men’s match on home turf, it will also be the stage for three knock-out games for the round of 32 matches.
In total, six matches will be held in Toronto, while seven will be in Vancouver. The final game will be on July 19 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
REACTIONS FROM TORONTONIANS
The games’ estimated cost to Toronto taxpayers is expected to be roughly $300 million, about $60 million per game. As a result,some Torontonians online have mixed reactions about the big news.
You can find the 2026 FIFA World Cup full game schedule here.
