Toronto City Hall in downtown Toronto, as the city begins its transformation ahead of the FIFA World Cup, in Toronto on Tuesday.Wa Lone/Reuters
The head of Toronto’s World Cup organizing committee said Tuesday the city hasn’t sold any sponsorship packages in weeks as it scrambles to close a $5-million budget gap that materialized after FIFA requested costly additions to its official fan festival.
“We continue to seek that funding,” said Sharon Bollenbach, executive director of Toronto’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Secretariat, during a media conference at City Hall to mark one month before Toronto hosts its first match, on June 12.
Only four host city supporter sponsorship packages have been sold so far, she said, though sales of hospitality packages are also proceeding.
“While the days are getting tight, I am confident and I know that our commercial team are still working all the prospects they’ve had on their lists, and we’re continuing to do all that we can to make sure that we close any budget gaps.”
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Bollenbach would not disclose how much commercial revenue the city has booked for the tournament. “We’re still in negotiations with some folks, so we’re not releasing those numbers,” she said. “We don’t want to jeopardize any of those negotiations and those hospitality sales that are still in the works.”
The last-minute funding uncertainty comes as both Toronto and Vancouver, which hosts its first match June 13, deflect questions about ballooning costs for the tournament and late demands by FIFA.
B.C.’s most recent World Cup budget update was last June. On Tuesday, officials invited media on a tour of BC Place stadium, which has undergone numerous renovations and upgrades for the World Cup and most recently installed a natural grass pitch.
Premier David Eby, asked several times about the latest costs, said he understood the need to have a final and full accounting available to the public.
“Our intention was to release that with our partners closer to the date of the first game, but I have asked our team to bring that forward to ensure that we have the total out to the public by the end of the month,” he said.
Eby attributed the delay in part to coordinating with partners to release a full accounting. He cited as an example Ottawa’s $100-million contribution toward security costs in B.C., for which the parties recently finalized an agreement.
The province is projected to generate a billion dollars in economic impact from the tournament, he added.
Last week, at an event to unveil a new Toronto Police event command centre, Mayor Olivia Chow did not directly answer a reporter’s question about conditions around provincial funding for the tournament.
The new elements for Toronto’s fan fest added an estimated $9-million, to bring the total tab for the 22 days of programming to $25-million. On Tuesday, a FIFA Canada spokesperson said the organization expected to reveal the additional fan fest features next week.
On Tuesday, Toronto’s executive committee also passed a motion to work with other local jurisdictions to provide paramedic services for the city after FIFA requested up to 50 paramedics be on hand at each World Cup match to respond to player injuries or spectators in medical distress. That move will cost an estimated $800,000.
UV grow lights seen on the grass pitch installed at B.C. Place in Vancouver, B.C., on May 12.Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press
Bollenbach also offered updates on other elements of Toronto’s hosting efforts, noting that the Major League Soccer match last Saturday between Toronto FC and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami FC had given organizers an opportunity to observe the stadium in use after renovations added temporary seating for about 17,000 fans.
Some fans had complained about insufficient signage to help them navigate the area, as well as lineups at the concession stands and washrooms.
“We have an entire dressing, signage, and pageantry plan,” she said, referring to the World Cup-branded decorations that are beginning to appear around the city. “All of which was not in place for this past weekend.” She promised extensive signage to help fans orient themselves all the way from Union Station, about 3.5 kilometres from the stadium, as well as directions on how to access the entrances to and exits from the stadium.
She also noted that there will be signage to help fans find the temporary washrooms that have been installed at the stadium.
Where to watch the World Cup in Toronto and Vancouver
Toronto had hoped to make up almost $3.5-million of its $5-million shortfall by charging $10 for general admission tickets to the official fan festival, which will be held at Fort York and the adjacent The Bentway area. After a public outcry, the city elected to make admission free, as Vancouver is doing for its fan fest.
Fans in Toronto are required to obtain tickets in advance – the first 220,000 free tickets were released last week, with the final 120,000 to be released in a second wave this Friday, May 16, at 10 a.m. ET – while Vancouver’s event is first-come, first-served for general admission.
Both events also sell premium tickets, with prices in Toronto ranging from $100 to $300 plus taxes and fees. Bollenbach said she was hopeful that revenue could help bridge the funding shortage.
“We continue to look for filling that gap with fan fest, but making sure, first and foremost, that the experience that people are expecting to have meets and exceeds their expectations.”