Toronto Kicks Off One-Year Countdown to FIFA World Cup 26™ with Soccer Day Celebration at Nathan Phillips Square

June 12, 2025 Alwin Marshall-Squire 0 Comments 2 min read

Countdown clock unveiled and new community soccer pitches announced as Toronto prepares to host six World Cup matches in 2026

Toronto — With just one year to go until Canada hosts its first FIFA World Cup™ match, the City of Toronto marked the milestone with a high-energy celebration at Nathan Phillips Square. Declaring June 12 as the first official Soccer Day in Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow joined city officials, youth players, and members of the soccer community to unveil the FIFA World Cup 26™ Countdown Clock, officially beginning the final stretch toward 2026.

The event — called Soccer Day in Toronto: One Year to Kick-off — drew residents and fans to the square, many donning jerseys or red and white apparel to represent Team Canada. Festivities included live performances, soccer skills demonstrations, food trucks, giveaways, and special guests including Chief Claire Sault of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, FIFA Canada’s Chief Tournament Officer Peter Montopoli, Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden, and Knowledge Keeper Daniel Secord.

Spotted in Toronto. One year to @FWC26Toronto pic.twitter.com/jojdNdvdmw

— City of Toronto 🇨🇦 (@cityoftoronto) June 12, 2025

Mayor Chow used the moment to announce the launch of a Soccer for All Legacy Program, a city-led effort to expand access to the sport in underserved neighbourhoods. The initiative includes:

Construction of new mini soccer pitches in equity-deserving communities
Free sport programming for youth
Training and employment pathways in sport
A revitalization of Centennial Park as a gathering space for families

To date, the City has raised $2 million in private donations toward the program. Locations for the new mini pitches will be announced in the coming months.

Toronto’s Role in FIFA World Cup 26™

Toronto is set to host six FIFA World Cup 26™ matches, including the historic opening game on Canadian soil on Friday, June 12, 2026, and a Round of 32 match on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The tournament begins June 11, 2026, in Mexico City and concludes July 19, 2026, in New York/New Jersey.

FIFA’s economic impact assessment, conducted by Deloitte Canada, projects up to $940 million in economic output for the GTA. That includes:

$520 million in GDP growth
$340 million in labour income
$25 million in government revenue
6,600+ jobs created from June 2023 through August 2026

Pre-registration for tickets is open at FIFA.com/tickets. Volunteer interest forms for Toronto-based World Cup events are also available at volunteer.fifa.com/register, with applications set to open in August.

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