Toronto moves to ditch plan to charge $10 fee for World Cup fan festival

TORONTO — Toronto is moving to ditch its plan to charge a $10 fee for its World Cup fan festival, with city council set to vote on a proposal that would ensure the majority of tickets for the event are offered free of charge.

The city had initially promoted the fan festival, set to include live game broadcasts, food and music events during the international soccer tournament, as a free event.

But a report presented to the city’s executive committee last week proposed charging $10 general admission tickets, with VIP passes for upwards of $100.

Mayor Olivia Chow moved to amend the plan amid criticism and asked city staff to establish a free general admission tier.

A report before city council now proposes offering about 80 per cent of all event tickets for free, with the remaining tickets allocated as premium passes, ranging from $100 to $300.

The report notes a ticket reservation system is being developed to reduce wait times, create a more comfortable viewing experience for fans and assist with operational planning.

City staff wrote in the previous plan that a $10 admission fee was necessary to “responsibly cap daily attendance and prevent overcrowding.”

Toronto is among 16 cities across Canada, the United States and Mexico that will host a combined 104 games during the expanded 48-team tournament, running June 11 through July 19.

Vancouver, which is also hosting the tournament, is set to hold a free fan festival with premium paid experiences.

Toronto’s $380-million budget for the soccer tournament includes funding from the federal and provincial governments, with FIFA previously estimating up to $940 million in economic output for the Greater Toronto Area.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2026.