Toronto cancels plan to charge for FIFA World Cup Fan Festival after public backlash

Toronto's FIFA World Cup Fan Festival will be free to attend, after all.

On Wednesday, Toronto city councillor Josh Matlow said he received confirmation from the FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto Secretariat that the official Fan Festival, which was originally promised to Torontonians as a free and inclusive event, will now, in fact, be free for all.

"Toronto residents already paid $180 million to host the games, and tickets to the stadium are cost-prohibitive for most people," Matlow wrote on X. "At the very least, an event that was promised to residents, no matter their means, so that everyone can be part of the World Cup, will be free and accessible to all."

Finally, clarity. I’ve confirmed with the FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto Secretariat that the Fan Festival, that was promised to Torontonians as a free and inclusive event, will now in fact be free for all general admission. Toronto residents already paid $180 million to host the… pic.twitter.com/DB1JJCir3b

— Josh Matlow (@JoshMatlow) April 22, 2026

The festival, planned to be held for more than 22 days at Fort York National Historic Site, will feature live match broadcasts, music and local food vendors.

When Toronto signed an agreement with FIFA in 2018, it stipulated that fan festivals in each city must allow "entry free of charge" to spectators.

Last week, a Toronto Star report said the city was considering charging a $10 general admission ticket, plus premium $100 and $300 VIP packages, for the festival to offset some of the additional unforeseen costs that have exceeded the city's approved hosting budget of $380 million.

The city said ticketing the event would help control crowds and solve a $6.2-million deficit tied to the FIFA-led activation.

After the surprise plan to charge money for tickets to the festival was revealed, many city councillors raised objections. The public did too. 

Mayor Chow promised the FIFA Fan Fest would be free.

Now it’s going to cost $50 for a family of five to get in the door. This is a disappointing flip-flop from Mayor Chow, and it’s Toronto families who will pay the price. pic.twitter.com/0VZkvwJzah — Brad Bradford (@BradMBradford) April 15, 2026

"Ten dollars might not sound like much at City Hall. But for a family of five, that is fifty dollars before anyone has bought a drink or a meal," Beaches–East York councillor Brad Bradford said in a statement. "For a lot of families in this city, that is the difference between going and staying home."

Under Chow's new plan, roughly 20 per cent of the tickets will still be sold at a cost for premium access, while the remaining 80 per cent (roughly 16,000 tickets) will be no-cost general admission.

The city will stage six World Cup games between June 12 and July 2, starting with Canada's opening match against Bosnia & Herzegovina. Toronto's FIFA World Cup Fan Festival will be open from June 11 to the final day of the tournament on July 19.