The economic impact of the World Cup began to show as fans flooded the streets of Toronto

The World Cup is considered a major economic opportunity for Toronto and Canada.

Now, with this tournament underway, the business world is starting to see for real whether these promises can be realized by customers.

Thousands of fans from around the world came to Toronto this week to watch the city’s first men’s World Cup game, filling fan zones, terraces and sports bars as excitement around the tournament spread throughout downtown.

“It’s an incredible energy in the city,” Sara Anghel, president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, said in an interview with Global News.

Although crowds have been visible throughout downtown, hotels in the Toronto area have not seen the expected increase.

“We’ve seen an uneven June. There are days that are a little better and there are days that are not so great.”

Anghel said June occupancy is currently below last year’s levels, and estimates that occupancy by the end of the month could reach around 65 percent.

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“June is already a very busy month in Toronto,” he said.

“A lot of them are staying away, so this isn’t the June we usually have when FIFA isn’t around.”

He noted that when FIFA released additional tickets ahead of the tournament, some hotel rooms that had been booked were put back on the market.

Destination Toronto CEO Andrew Weir previously told Global News that “even if June ends up slightly lower than initial expectations – or even lower than June in general – the rest of the summer will likely be even.”

Between June 12 and July 2, Toronto hosted five group stage matches and one knockout match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Even so, Anghel remains optimistic about the coming months.

“May went well and we expect July and August to go very well,” he said.

Several businesses said they were already feeling the benefits of the influx of visitors.

“We already have the lineup this morning and the game doesn’t get underway until 3 o’clock,” restaurant manager Callam Hald told Global News.

Anghel added that fans have given the hotel’s restaurants, terraces and gathering spaces a real boost.

“Yesterday afternoon, everything from the convention center to Front Street was filled with people on terraces and lobbies like the Royal York,” Anghel said.

Mayor Olivia Chow said the tournament puts Toronto on the global stage.

“The whole world is targeting Toronto,” he said.

It remains to be seen whether the World Cup ultimately delivers the economic boost promised by organizers and governments.

For now, the tournament has clearly generated energy, spectators and international attention, but the full financial impact may not be known until the final whistle blows.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.