Toronto prepares to welcome 300,000 World Cup visitors

Toronto is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. Now, the world is coming to it.

Canada’s largest city will host six World Cup games, starting Friday when the host country’s team takes on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Toronto is ready, and we are excited to welcome the world to our city. The energy is building across the city,” says Sharon Bollenbach , the city’s World Cup executive director.

And so is the police presence. Deputy Chief Robert Johnson says he expects the “largest deployment of members in the Toronto Police Service’s history. Tens of thousands of officers will be deployed.”

“During the tournament, we are anticipating approximately 300,000 visitors to celebrate in this historic moment for Toronto,” Johnson says. “Our role is clear: To ensure a safe and secure experience for everyone, while showcasing Toronto as a world-class host city.”

Toronto is encouraging public transit, with the Toronto Transit Commission providing expanded service with trains, buses and streetcars and the regional GO Transit service offering more trains. The city is heavily restricting traffic around the downtown core where the stadium is. There will be no public parking at Toronto Stadium or in nearby residential areas.

“The FIFA World Cup is one of the largest sporting events in the world, and we have a plan for how to get people around during this busy time,” says Andrew Posluns, Toronto’s chief congestion officer.

Toronto Stadium is the smallest venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The stadium is where Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC and the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts play.

The facility underwent a $100 million-plus renovation that added about 17,000 temporary seats.

That will bring the capacity to the FIFA minimum of 45,000.

For those without match tickets, there are plenty of other possibilities. Games can be viewed in one of Toronto’s many eateries and bars.

For visitors the city's most popular tourist attractions include the CN Tower and Lake Ontario, plus wandering around the city’s distinct cultural neighborhoods.

Old Town Toronto, for example, is hosting The Great Beaver Quest, a contest that challenges competitors to locate 51 beaver statues situated throughout the neighborhood.

“This area is very multicultural, so we have people from a lot of the countries that are qualified for the tournament live in this area and are super excited to see their pride for their country showed on display,” said Robyn Posner with the Old Town Toronto Business Improvement Area.