City council votes in favour of hosting 2026 World Cup games, would cost Toronto $90M

Citynews.ca
April 7, 2022
Lucas Casaletto

Toronto is one step closer to hosting FIFA World Cup games in 2026.

On Wednesday, city council voted 21-1 in favour of moving forward with plans for the city to host up to five World Cup 2026 matches at an estimated $290 million.

Under the proposed framework of the deal, the City of Toronto would have to commit roughly $90 million. Another meeting is expected in June when costs will be made more clear.

City councillor Gord Perks (Parkdale--High Park) was the lone vote against hosting matches in Toronto, saying, “this is going to cost the City of Toronto tens of millions of dollars.”

“If I had those tens of millions of dollars, I’d use it to expropriate properties to build affordable housing,” Perks said.

Mayor John Tory has long advocated for the city to host soccer matches by the time 2026 arrives. In November 2021, Tory played host to FIFA officials, who were front and centre to inquire as part of continued efforts to decide which North American cities would prove worthy of hosting games.

Tory has called Toronto a soccer city.

“We have the capacity and facilities to create a unique and exciting event in 2026, and I know that our partners, city ambassadors and residents will play a key role in making this possible,” the mayor said.

“A big event like the FIFA World Cup 2026 would not only help us showcase this part of our city but would play a big role in increasing our presence on the world stage and grow our economy.”

That version of FIFA’s World Cup will be jointly hosted by 16 cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. A total of 60 matches, including the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and the final, will be hosted by the U.S., while Canada and Mexico will host ten matches.

The United 2026 bid beat a separate proposal from Morrocco in a final vote at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow. It will be the first World Cup since 2002 that will be hosted by more than one nation.