The FIFA World Cup is underway.
The watch parties, the concerts, the road closures as parts of Toronto's downtown began to set the party pace Wednesday. But that came to an abrupt end when the FIFA Fan Festival was cancelled on the first day, Thursday.
Thousands were forced to leave a watch party for the Mexico-South Africa game because of the risk of lightning as thunderstorms moved across the city.
FIFA says issues about getting to the Toronto Stadium and around the downtown have been addressed.
"Our plan addresses the downtown, what we call the last mile to the stadium, the final walking path to Toronto stadium where you’ll find enhanced amenities, such as additional washrooms free bike valets, bike share availability, designated ride share zones, volunteers to assist visitors and answer questions and a welcoming stadium entrance," said Sharon Bollenbach, executive director of FIFA World Cup 2026 for the City of Toronto.
The Toronto Stadium has been expanded to accommodate at least 45,000 people. FIFA has reversed its policy about allowing refillable plastic water bottles, saying because of the heat fans will be allowed to refill their bottles, and there will be water stations, so they can keep hydrated.
But while the city and FIFA may be ready, hundreds of tickets are still available for Team Canada’s first game Friday in Toronto. Some fans have already spoken out against the high ticket prices that have put going to the game out of their reach. Many hotels in Toronto and Vancouver say there are unexpected vacancies.
"Well I don’t want to say I told you so, but I told you so," said Moshe Lander, a sports economist with Concordia University in Montreal. "I said this eight years ago when Canada was awarded a cohost of the games, this was going to be an economic disaster. We don’t really have any business hosting this and, unfortunately, when you sign up to host, you don’t know who’s going to be participating other than the host countries."
Lander is one of the critics who say the cost of the games, at more than $1 billion to taxpayers, isn’t worth it. But Friday, hundreds of thousands of Canadian fans will be cheering on their country’s team in what is likely a once-in-a-generation opportunity to watch them play in a World Cup tournament on home soil.
