News Release - June 12, 2025: Toronto marks one year to FIFA World Cup 26™ with Soccer Day celebration at Nathan Phillips Square
On February 4, 2024 FIFA announced that the City of Toronto will host six matches in the FIFA World Cup 26™, with the first-ever FIFA Word Cup men’s match on Canadian soil and featuring the opening match of Canada’s Men’s National Team. Toronto is also hosting a round of 32 match on July 2, 2026.
The City will kick off its hosting duties with the first match at the Toronto Stadium (BMO Field) on June 12, 2026, joining 15 other cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States, Toronto is prepared to be an outstanding host in the soccer spectacle. The tournament is set to have a total of 104 matches.
FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the biggest sporting event ever, with three Host Countries, 16 Host Cities, 48 teams and 104 matches uniting an entire continent to showcase a momentous new tournament format. With more countries, cities, teams, and games, FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the most inclusive tournament ever, engaging millions of fans across 16 unique stadiums and billions worldwide.
Schedule to commence on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, the tournament promises to captivate fans until the final match on Sunday, July 19, 2026, when the iconic 18-carat gold trophy will be lifted in New York City/New Jersey.
Toronto will host multiple matches at BMO Field and major fan events across the city for the duration of the 32-day tournament.
Canada's first soccer-specific stadium, BMO Field is located at Exhibition Place (170 Princes’ Boulevard) in Toronto and plays home to Canada's National soccer team, as well as Toronto FC, Canada's first Major League Soccer team. BMO Field was built at a cost of 62.9 million and funded by a unique public partnership between three levels of government and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment LTD.
The City of Toronto has officially designated Fort York National Historic Site and The Bentway as the venues for FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto, a significant step in the city’s preparations for hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
The FIFA Fan Festival™ will unite fans in celebration of the world’s biggest sporting event, highlighting Toronto’s rich cultural diversity through art, music, and cuisine. The festival will offer a free, inclusive space where residents and visitors can come together through the shared excitement of sport.
The FIFA Fan Festival™ is a worldwide celebration of soccer, culture, and community, offering fans the opportunity to enjoy free live broadcasts of FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches while experiencing the energy and excitement of an official FIFA World Cup™ setting.
Specific dates and hours of operation will be shared closer to the event. The festival will showcase Toronto’s exceptional diversity, creativity, and international character, reinforcing its identity as the “World in a City.”
An information session for local residents and businesses is scheduled in the coming months, with further details to be posted on the City’s FIFA World Cup 26™ website.
The eagerly awaited FIFA World Cup 26™ Final, is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026 in New Jersey.
The FIFA World Cup 26™ Final draw taking place in late 2025 will decide match pairing and kick-off times. been revealed and can be found on the FIFA's website.
Find out how and why the FIFA World Cup 26™ fixtures were allocated. The match schedule is explained on the FIFA website.
For the latest FIFA World Cup 26 information, please visit FIFA World Cup website.