What to know
- TPH unveiled six soccer-inspired CondomTO wrapper designs and is handing out free condoms, dams and lubricants at four locations across Toronto while supplies last.
- The campaign aims to promote sexual health and reduce the spread of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections during the World Cup, which is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city.
- Toronto Public Health says STBBIs remain a significant concern locally, with roughly 14,000 reported chlamydia cases and 7,000 gonorrhea cases in 2024 alone.
Planning to score beyond the field? Toronto Public Health (TPH) is distributing free condoms with soccer-inspired designs to encourage safe sex during the World Cup.
The World Cup is officially less than a month away, and to prepare for the hundreds of thousands of soccer fans about to visit Toronto for the event, TPH is distributing free condoms and safe sex supplies across the city.
The health agency revealed its newest CondomTO designs on Tuesday, including six soccer-inspired and playful wrappers for the preservatives.
The condoms will be distributed for free while supplies last at four locations across the city, including:
- 2340 Dundas St. W. at Bloor West
- 160 Borough Dr. in Scarborough
- 662 Jane St. at Jane-St. Clair
- 5110 Yonge St. in North York
CondomTO was first launched in 2014 as a TPH initiative to creatively promote sexual health during World Pride in Toronto. The campaign made a comeback a year later with designs inspired by the Pan American and Parapan American Games and again from 2016 to 2017 with common Toronto-related designs.
According to a study by TPH in preparation for the World Cup, Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections (STBBIs) are already a major health concern in Toronto, with chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis among the most reported infections.
In 2024, STBBIs were responsible for about 64 per cent of all diseases significant to public health reported to TPH, including approximately 14,000 cases of chlamydia and 7,000 cases of gonorrhea.
Meanwhile, mass gatherings and major events represent a risk for potential increased rates of sexually transmitted infections, such as the World Cup.
The distribution of the branded condoms, as well as distribution of internal (female) condoms, dams, and lubricants are a part of the TPH’s efforts to mitigate the potential risks of the event.
