City of Toronto Updates on the Impact of the FIFA World Cup 2026™

Following Spain’s World Cup victory over Argentina, the City of Toronto has published some early insights and observations of the iconic soccer tournament’s impact on the City after hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches and 23 days of FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto.

While the direct financial returns were smaller than official projections, being a host city has served as a major cultural and community asset. The City has shared the following insights on the overall impact of hosting FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches.

Toronto Matches

Approximately 250,000 fans visited Toronto Stadium over six matches.

FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto

More than 350,000 people attended FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto over 23 event days.
FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto hosted 86 performers including 80 Canadian performers (of which 75 were local performers) and 19 cultural acts.

Match Broadcasts at Nathan Phillips Square

Approximately 60,600 people watched live match broadcasts at Nathan Phillips Square (excluding the final match).

Tourism and Economic Development

Destination Toronto and Destination Ontario research shows nine out of ten visitors surveyed said they were likely to return to Toronto for leisure travel within the next two years.
According to Destination Toronto, preliminary payments data from the six-game period shows that, among out-of-town visitors in the city, 37 per cent of spending came from international markets and 15 per cent from the U.S., while 27 per cent came from Ontario visitors outside Toronto and 21 per cent from the rest of Canada.
Four local businesses authorized to sell official FIFA merchandise through FIFA Local Licensee Program.

Getting around Toronto

Across the tournament, pedestrian activity near Toronto Stadium was consistently above normal levels. While travel times immediately around the stadium increased before and after matches, citywide traffic conditions remained generally consistent with pre-tournament conditions
By the numbers: depending on the match:
Pedestrian activity around Toronto Stadium up between 70 to 160 per cent above baseline.
Cycling activity 25 to 140 per cent above baseline.
Motor vehicle volumes on the Gardiner Expressway went down between 10 to 30 per cent lower than baseline.
Bike Share Toronto saw approximately 2,000 rides per match handled through the valet system at Toronto Stadium locations in Inukshuk Park, Ordinance Park, and at Atlantic Avenue and Liberty Street.
For FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto, Bike Share is averaging about 200 rides per day through the valet service on days Toronto was not hosting matches.
Bike Share Toronto recorded a total of 1,173,315 rides in June 2026, an increase over June 2025 with 980,382 rides. On Sunday, June 28, Bike Share Toronto passed the three-million ride mark for 2026, a week earlier than 2025.

Emergency Services Coordination

Toronto Police Service

The longest deployment in Toronto Police Service (TPS) history: Six weeks of continuous operations.
27,145 emergency calls answered by Communications Services members.
TPS members successfully monitored and staffed 17 fan and supporter marches
The largest fan march for Portugal drew more than 18,000 supporters.
More than 6,500 fans gathered outside the Delta Hotel and another approximately 6,500 gathered outside Centennial Park hoping to catch a glimpse of international soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

Toronto Paramedic Services

Responded to approximately 550 requests for medical care at Toronto Stadium, the FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto, and in the last mile response zone throughout FIFA World Cup 2026™ events in Toronto.
On-site medical clinics at Toronto Stadium and the FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto, staffed by Sunnybrook Hospital physicians and Toronto paramedics, provided care for attendees with non-urgent medical needs, reducing ambulance transports to local emergency departments.
In addition, communities in Toronto were supported by Toronto Paramedic Services’ Integrated Regional Response Model, a proactive partnership with Peel, York, and Durham Regional Paramedic Services.
Through this agreement, approximately 570 calls were attended to by regional paramedic resources strategically deployed during periods of increased demand, helping maintain ambulance availability, reduce pressure on frontline services, and support reliable emergency medical care throughout FIFA World Cup 2026™ events in Toronto.

Toronto Fire Services

During the FIFA World Cup 2026™ events in Toronto, Toronto Fire Services (TFS) responded to 1,835 events.
These events include fire suppression, hazards and medical public safety incidents.
TFS provided FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto with two misting fans and two aerial trucks with misting nozzles to provide relief from the heat.

Legacy Initiatives

The City embedded long-term benefits, through engagement and inclusion, into every facet of its FIFA World Cup 2026™ hosting plan. A few of the legacy Initiatives include:

Inclusive workforce development programs, which provide Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving youth access to employment, training and career exploration opportunities
As part of the City’s environmental and sustainability plans, through it’s partnership with GFL Environmental, Green Event Ninjas was brought on board to manage the garbage sorting program at the Stadium and FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto
162 jobs created.
86 youth employed.
53 per cent of new hires were young people aged 18 to 29.
Investing in free, local soccer for all through mini-pitches in four parks across the city and leadership programs and expanding access to the sport in underserved communities. New soccer mini-pitches are now available at the following parks: Apted Park, Amesbury Park, Grandravine Park, Scarborough Village Park
Community-driven arts and mural programs.
The Bentway Under Gardiner lighting project.
Supporting Toronto Metropolitan University’s Future of Sport Lab to support as many 60 sports tech start-ups in the next year.
Soccer Community of Practice Summit, which brought together soccer organizations and partners to discuss opportunities to expand the sport.
New East-West Water Shuttle, in partnership with Waterfront Toronto, with subsidized $5 tickets for every Toronto match day and all weekends of the tournament until Sunday, July 19.
A new full-sized soccer pitch and field house at Centennial Park, which will form part of a new soccer hub as part of the Centennial Park revitalization plan.
Environmental sustainability initiatives included:
LEED Gold-certified Toronto Stadium and a net-zero-ready training facility built to the highest tier of the Toronto Green Standard
Waste diversion: 350 tri-sort stations across the event footprint, achieving a 65 per cent waste diversion rate, 40.85 metric tonnes of material successfully recycled or composted on-site, 119.73 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions prevented.
At FIFA Fan Festival™ reduced single-use plastics through water refill stations, reusable cups and foodware in premium space (Casamigos), event infrastructure designed for future use and dressing and signage that will be upcycled.
Food rescue: in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, over 100lbs of food rescued and provided to local respite centres around FIFA Fan Festival™