The World Cup Is Coming to Canada — But Can Fans Actually Afford It?
Toronto is one of the most coveted stops on the FIFA World Cup 2026 tour, with matches scheduled at BMO Field this summer. But with the tournament just weeks away, thousands of seats are still sitting empty — and the reason isn't a lack of interest. It's the price.
Fans hoping to catch a World Cup match in person are being hit with some eye-watering numbers. Official tickets on FIFA's platform are going for hundreds of dollars per seat in many categories, and secondary market resellers are listing them for significantly more. For many Canadian families, attending even a single group-stage match has become a financial stretch.
What Are Tickets Actually Costing?
Official FIFA ticket prices for Toronto matches range from roughly $80 CAD on the low end for Category 4 seats — typically obstructed views or the furthest sections — to well over $500 CAD for premium spots. Once you add service fees, currency conversion (FIFA prices are listed in USD), and the reality that the cheapest seats sold out first, most fans are now looking at $200–$400 per ticket at minimum.
Resale platforms are making things worse. Some listings for high-profile group stage matches involving popular soccer nations are going for three to five times face value, pricing out the very fans who have been the backbone of the sport's growth in Canada.
A Sold-Out Dream That Isn't Quite There Yet
Despite the hype surrounding Canada's co-hosting role — alongside the United States and Mexico — Toronto's venues haven't filled up the way many organizers anticipated. For a country that qualified for the tournament for the first time since 1986, and with the host nation's squad drawing massive attention, the empty seats have raised eyebrows.
FIFA and local organizing committees have pointed to the sheer volume of seats available across multiple venues and match days, noting that sales are ongoing. But critics argue the pricing model has been exclusionary from the start, favouring corporate hospitality packages and international tourists over local Canadian fans.
The Ottawa Connection
While no World Cup matches are being played in Ottawa, the city's soccer community is watching closely. Ottawa has a passionate and growing soccer fanbase — the Ottawa Fury's legacy, youth leagues, and a large immigrant population from soccer-mad countries across Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe mean there's no shortage of people who would love to make the trip to Toronto. The high costs, however, make that a tough ask.
Local supporter groups have been organizing watch parties in Ottawa as an alternative — a way to share the World Cup experience without the price tag of travelling to Toronto.
What Fans Are Saying
The sentiment across Canadian soccer communities is mixed. There's genuine excitement that the World Cup is finally here — in Canada, for the first time ever as a host nation — but frustration that the economic reality has made it feel distant. Many fans who have followed the sport for decades feel locked out of a historic moment.
For now, the hope is that FIFA and local organizers find a way to move remaining inventory to real fans before the opening whistle blows this summer.
Source: CBC News. Original reporting by CBC Toronto.
