FIFA World Cup visitors loved Toronto and many want to return
Although it feels like just yesterday, it's officially been two months since Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal wrapped up the city's 2026 FIFA World Cup host stint in front of a sold-out Toronto Stadium crowd.
Toronto hosted six FIFA World Cup games, national teams from 10 countries, and thousands of visitors, who apparently are really open to coming back, according to a new study.
According to data released by provincial tourism body Destination Ontario, 92 per cent of visitors who attended the city for the world's biggest sporting tournament said they are likely to return to Toronto for a leisure trip within the next two years.
The study suggests that hosting the global sporting event created memorable experiences for visitors and is estimated to strengthen Ontario's reputation as a destination tourists want to visit in the future.
Iraq supporters cheer in the Toronto Stadium stands before their group-stage match against Senegal. (Fareen Karim)
Respondents spanned nine Canadian provinces, 25 U.S. states, and 57 countries. They were apparently beyond satisfied with their visit, with 96 per cent saying they'd come back if Toronto were to host another large-scale international event.
It's estimated that these visitors spent an average of $1,033 per person, excluding match tickets and flights, and stayed seven nights on average — though these numbers could be a tad skewed, with both Panama and Croatia each playing two games in Toronto over 10 days.
Twenty-five per cent of those visitors also travelled elsewhere in Ontario during their trip, which the study claims helped boost tourism across the province.
One thing the city really prided itself on during the tournament was the fan experience — not only at the FIFA Fan Festival, but with fan marches taking place along the Lakeshore and through Liberty Village all tournament long.
Andrew Weir, President and CEO of Destination Toronto, said in a press release that although the games were held in the city, the tournament also drove visitors to explore other areas of the province while they were here.
"More and more, big-ticket experiences like sporting events and concerts are driving decisions about where people choose to travel," said Weir.
"Toronto saw strong international visitation and spending in June. And while many of those travellers were here for the FIFA World Cup, it is clear they also explored more of the city and region and were inspired to return for a future trip."
Fareen Karim
