The city of Toronto, Canada, is hosting six World Cup games, but residents there and elsewhere are set to face the costs of hosting the events.
To many, it has already proven to be more of an inconvenience than an experience. Toronto has reportedly projected gross expenditures to the tune of $380 million to host the games. It has also hyped up local businesses by funding business associations’ events and promoting foot traffic. While Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told LA Public Press that “[t]axpayers will not be on the hook” for hosting the World Cup, the outlet reported that taxpayers remain in the dark about what the city has invesed to host eight matches this year. Contracts from Houston and Dallas, Texas, Seattle, Washington and other cities reportedly showed that nearly all costs for putting the tournament together fell upon the host cities, the Houston Chronicle reported.
For many, the benefits are yet to be seen, but the setbacks have already been felt.
The central area of Liberty Village is steps away from all the action, but as the city braces to host fans from across the globe, local residents aren’t sure how they’re going to get in and out of their homes. The single-lane roadways in Liberty Village have always been a traffic nightmare, making it impossible to imagine how the influx of soccer fans will be managed. Highways and major vessels will face significant closures affecting millions of people who have no interest in FIFA and don’t even plan to attend.
CBC News reported that the postal service, Canada Post, is removing mailboxes and shifting service around World Cup event spaces, putting residents on alert that their mail will be delayed. Commercial trash pickups have reportedly been moved to a holiday, and businesses have to face the fact that their garbage may sit out in the summer heat due to worker availabilty.
Toronto has been planning for FIFA since 2021, and a 20-page financial document details $226.3 million in planning and operating expenditures and $153.6 million in capital expenditures, with “funding sources” expected to cover the $380 million, BIV reported.
The Toronto Police Service was allocated $65.5 million and Toronto Emergency Management was boosted by $4.9 million, with other services receiving funding, according to the outlet.
TORONTO – JULY 24: Fans attend the 2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game between the MLS All-Stars and West Ham United at BMO Field July 24, 2008 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
The city invested millions in infrastructure, including 17,000 temporary seats added to the Toronto Stadium — all of which will disappear at the end of the games.
Temporary bleacher seating is installed to add extra capacity near the regular stands at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada on March 24, 2026, ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup. BMO Field will host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo by Cole BURSTON / AFP via Getty Images)
The Toronto municipality has faced criticism for reportedly selling in demand tickets for a profit, The Star reported. A city official didn’t offer a direct answer when asked if Toronto raised enough money to fill the $5 million budget gap attributed to higher than expected costs for the tournament’s Fan Festival.
The city faced frustration and losses even before the official games kicked off. The June 11 Fan Festival was suddenly canceled “out of an abundance of caution” due to weather, creating chaos and confusion.
Chief Financial Officer Stephen Conforti issued a statement saying only that authorities would “continue to review” revenue and cost projections for the events, according to The Star.
“A final accounting will be provided following the tournament,” he told the local news outlet.
CTV News reported on the sky-high prices of tickets, noting the beginng price for Canada’s debute contest on home soil against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 began at $1,300 and increased to $3,360 for front row tickets. (RELATED: The World Cup Is Here — Time To Hit Peak Degeneracy)
TORONTO, ONTARIO – JUNE 11: Jesse Marsch, Head Coach of Canada, attends the press conference of Canada one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images)
The official FIFA On Location website is advertising single tickets for the July 2 matchup at the cost of $5,350, and $3,450 for the June 23 Panama Croatia game. Perhaps not surprisingly, seats are still available.
LA fans expressed frustration with the process to acquire tickets, with one alleging that he intially received one of four tickets he bought and had to repeatedly contact FIFA to get the issue addressed, NBC Los Angeles reported. With an estimated 500,000 soccer fans expected to pass through the stadium, with LA Metro and transit partners in the area dedicating direct service to each World Cup match, according to Fox11 Los Angeles. City officials have not disclosed how much is being spent to provide security during FIFA, LA Public Press reported.
A Forbes report May 2026 called FIFA a “bad bet” for host cities, arguing that the illusion of economic impact is often met with the stark reality of substantial financial losses.