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After a tough winter for business, some Toronto entrepreneurs are counting on tourists visiting for the FIFA World Cup to bring in some much-needed traffic.
In June and July, Toronto is set to host six World Cup games as well as the Canadian opening ceremony. The event is expected to bring in over 300,000 visitors, the city has said previously.
Long-time soccer fan and director of Augusta Coffee Bar in Kensington Market, Antoine Vautherot, says the business is preparing to get a lot more traffic this summer.
“We are very much looking forward to it, the patio is going to be bumping,” he said, adding the hubbub will be a welcome change after what he said was the “hardest” winter he’s seen in about ten years.
This year the GTA saw a record-breaking winter, with below-average temperatures and it being the snowiest winter in recorded history, according to Pearson Airport.
Weather was a challenge for other businesses in the area, too. Paul Salsman, owner of Kensington Market shop Bungalow, said this was “brutal” for business.
“Kensington market is an outdoor market,” he said. “People come to hang out outside and shop and make a day of it, so it’s really difficult to have snow constantly.”
Salsman said he’s looking forward to the soccer tournament — in particular, the mass of tourists who will come with it. For Salsman, it marks the light at the end of a very snowy tunnel.
“It’s been a cold, dark winter,” He told CBC Toronto. “We’ll be happy to see new people and some new customers.”
Businesses making FIFA specials, planning for busy summer
Being a host city is a win for Toronto’s tourism industry, according to Kelly Jackson, spokesperson for Destination Toronto. She said the agency is expecting out-of-towners to make up over half of ticket sales for the games, at the over-45,000-capacity stadium, with more coming for the official Fan-Fest.
“It is such an exciting opportunity and you can already feel the city buzzing,” she said.
WATCH | Toronto soccer fans excited for FIFA World Cup 2026 as city hosts friendly matches:
Toronto feeling the ‘World Cup fever’ as Canada host friendlies in the city
Excitement for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Toronto is growing as BMO Field hosts two friendly matches this weekend. Canada’s national men’s soccer team is first up, facing off against Iceland Saturday afternoon. CBC’s Naama Weingarten has more on how people in the city are preparing to celebrate the World Cup’s arrival in June.
A 2024 FIFA economic assessment predicted the event could bring in about $940 million to the GTA in positive economic output, as well as a $700 million bump for Ontario’s GDP.
Local businesses in the hospitality, retail and food sectors could benefit from visitor spending because of the increased foot traffic in the city, Sharon Bollenbach, executive director of the city’s Word Cup hosting task-force, said in a statement.
“Business owners can expect higher visitor volumes, especially on match days, and should plan for increased demand, staffing needs and adjusted hours of operation,” Bollenbach said in the statement.
Additionally, some business owners are planning to cater to the crowds. Ozgur Sekar, owner of Ozzy’s Burgers, said he’s going to create a new burger specially made for the tournament, called the FIFA burger.
“We need this. We need more tourists, more people,” he said.
At Augusta Coffee Bar, Vautherot said he’s considering making a feature drink or having a bakery special. He’s also planning to host some watch parties.
“We’re definitely planning on having some events around the games,” he said.
He said he sees the games as an opportunity for people to “be together with friends and just have some fun watching the games together.”