FIFA World Cup 2026™ Toronto
Ontario proudly welcomed athletes and soccer fans from around the globe as the largest single-sport event in the world was hosted in Toronto.
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Toronto was a celebration of our country, communities and athletes. It was also an opportunity for Ontario to showcase its leadership, diversity and thriving sport culture in one of the world’s most dynamic and welcoming cities.
Matches
As part of the first-ever men’s FIFA World Cup match in Canada, Toronto hosted 6 matches at Toronto Stadium, from June 12 to July 2, 2026:
FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto
From June 11 to July 19, fans celebrated the excitement in the heart of the city at FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto.
Located at Fort York National Historic Site and The Bentway, these celebrations reflected Toronto’s theme, “The World in a City,” and included:
- live match screenings
- unique and diverse food experiences
- local music, art, entertainment and cultural programming
Learn more about the FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto celebrations.
The Ontario Campus and Pitch
As part of FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto, attendees explored the Ontario Campus, a dedicated space designed to highlight Ontario’s leadership in hosting world-class events, and celebrate the communities, creativity and opportunities that define Ontario.
Ontario Pitch
At the heart of the experience was the Ontario Pitch, an interactive space led by Destination Ontario where minigolf meets soccer. Visitors played through creative courses — inspired by Niagara Falls, cottage country, provincial parks, sports in Ontario and more — while discovering the destinations, experiences and stories that make Ontario special.
June 20 – Ontario Day at FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto
On June 20, 2026, Ontario took centre stage at the FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto, with dynamic programming to celebrate sport, culture and community — and what makes the province a world-class destination for residents and visitors alike.
Provincial support for FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches
Ontario invested $97 million in funding and provincial services to support Toronto’s role as a host city for FIFA World Cup 2026™. The investment helped:
- deliver a world-class fan experience
- create lasting community infrastructure
- ensure reliable public services
- generate long-term benefits for communities
- showcase why Ontario is where the world comes to compete.
Economic and community impact
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ will bring significant benefits for the economy and communities across Ontario, with tens of millions watching the matches hosted in Toronto. Along with fan festivities taking place at Fort York, we expect the matches in Ontario to have a significant positive economic and community impact.
$1.3 B
in economic activity
8,700+
jobs created
300,000+
visitors to Toronto
Inspiring future generations
With more than 400,000 registered soccer players in Ontario, the event is energizing soccer communities across the province and inspiring future generations of the sport.
Centennial Park training site
Ontario’s funding supported the development of a training site at Centennial Park in Toronto for visiting teams playing in the FIFA World Cup 2026™. The investment brought to life a state-of-the art pitch and fieldhouse creating a lasting legacy and vibrant community hub for soccer in this iconic urban park.
Volunteers
With more than 3,000 people volunteering in Toronto to support the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the province’s funding helped to deliver the volunteer program in Toronto.
Building a better Ontario through sport
Beyond the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Ontario is building a stronger and more sustainable sport system by:
- supporting participation in sport, from playground to podium
- driving economic growth through sport tourism
- investing in community sport and recreation infrastructure
Quest for Gold
The Quest for Gold program provides direct financial assistance to Ontario athletes so they can compete at the highest levels. Many Team Canada athletes from Ontario have benefitted from the program, including those who will lead Canada this summer at the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Ontario Soccer athletes, through its support from the Ministry of Sport, make up nearly 60% of players that will feature in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ for the Canadian Men’s National Team.
Ontario Amateur Sport Fund
The Ontario Amateur Sport Fund provides funding to eligible and recognized provincial sport organizations and multi-sport organizations. It helps fund programs and services that support the development of athletes, coaches and officials across Ontario.
Community infrastructure
We’re investing $500 million through the Community Sport and Recreation Fund to help municipalities, non-profits and Indigenous communities build new facilities and upgrade existing ones. This includes projects like building North Bay’s first cricket pitch, Canada’s first dedicated goalball court in Muskoka and a new aquatics centre in Durham Region.
Increasing participation in sport
Inclusive Grassroots Recreation program
We’re helping to create more opportunities for children and youth to participate in sport and recreation through investments in the Inclusive Grassroots Recreation program, which has supported more than 100,000 children from under-represented and marginalized populations.
After School Program
Every year, this program helps over 13,000 children and youth get active in communities across the province.
Indigenous partnerships
We work in partnership with Indigenous communities and organizations on sport and recreation programs.
Safety in Sport
We’re continuing to improve safety in sport through new policies, prevention, education and accountability. Rowan’s Law is one of the many ways that the province is committed to making sports safer. It is the first and only legislation of its kind in Canada that addresses concussion safety in sports.
Hosting sporting events
Ontario Sport Hosting Program
Ontario is a premier destination for hosting world-class events. Since 2018, we’ve invested more than $17 million to support over 260 sporting events, generating approximately $240 million in economic activity for the province.
Games Ontario
We deliver 5 provincial multi-sport games through the Games Ontario program, which helps amateur athletes showcase their skills and gain valuable experience, with many going on to compete at higher levels.
Ontario’s sport and recreation sector will continue to thrive through continued investments, strong partnerships and a commitment to safer, more accessible sport.