Toronto is hosting one of the most in-demand matches of FIFA World Cup

There will be a total of 104 matches during the FIFA World Cup 2026, and among the five most popular games, one of them is taking place in Toronto.

FIFA received over 500 million ticket applications between Dec. 11 and Jan. 13. They recently revealed the five most in-demand matches at the World Cup based on ticket requests.

Aside from the World Cup Final itself, the hottest ticket for a knockout-stage match is in Toronto on July 2. That's when the city's expanded BMO Field will host a Round of 32 match between the second-place teams in both Group K and Group L.

So, why does that match have the hottest demand for tickets among 30 knockout-stage games before the World Cup finale?

Well, both groups feature some of soccer's biggest powerhouses and most noteworthy stars.

Group K features Portugal (ranked sixth in FIFA World Rankings) and Colombia (13th). Either one of those two teams could appear at the July 2 match in Toronto, unless Uzbekistan (50th) or the IC Path 1 winner pulls off a massive upset.

In Group L, two of the world's top-10 soccer nations will duke it out for first overall. England is the best team in the group on paper, sitting fourth in the world rankings. Croatia is ranked 10th. Both countries are clear favourites over Panama (30th) and Ghana (72nd).

So, the July 2 match is likely to be Portugal/Colombia vs. England/Croatia. Any of these combinations means a soccer heavyweight will bow out in the Round of 32 before roaring Toronto fans.

Not only are these four competitors known for their soccer prowess, but fans residing in these countries also flooded FIFA with ticket demands.

Aside from the three host nations at the FIFA World Cup 2026, the top countries in terms of ticket demand were Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Colombia.

For Toronto, a potential heavyweight tilt in the knockout stage might be a bit of vengeance. During the FIFA World Cup schedule reveal, we learned that Toronto missed out on games featuring England, France, or Norway (who have star Erling Haaland on their squad).

Aside from the Round of 32 showdown in Toronto, the other most coveted matches were:

• Colombia v. Portugal (June 27, Miami)
• Mexico v. Korea Republic (June 18, Guadalajara)
• FIFA World Cup Final (July 19, New Jersey)
•  Mexico and South Africa (June 11, Mexico City)

Toronto will host seven matches total during the FIFA World Cup, beginning with Canada vs. one of Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 13. The final match in Toronto will be the knockout game on July 2.