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Officials unveiled the FIFA World Cup trophy in downtown Toronto on Monday, 17 days before the city will host its first game of the international soccer tournament.
“Toronto is truly proud to be part of this truly historic global moment,” Mayor Olivia Chow told fans outside city hall.
“Today is also a celebration of how sports can bring people together, no matter where you are from, what language you speak, what team you are cheering for. The beautiful game has a unique power to unite all of us.”
Italian soccer legend Alessandro Nesta, who played in two World Cup tournaments, was there to help to unveil the gold trophy.
“When you start to play football, you want to win that trophy,” Nesta told CBC Toronto. “It’s a dream for us. When you win that trophy, the day after, you feel different.”
Nesta said the impact of the FIFA World Cup games in Canada will be long-lasting and Toronto will feel the energy when the games finally get underway.
“I think it’s going to be good for Canada to grow football, because you host the World Cup and the next year, for sure, more kids will play football,” he said. “The atmosphere will change everything.”
Final Canadian stop of FIFA World Cup trophy tour
Peter Montopoli, FIFA World CUP 2026 chief tournament officer for Canada, said Toronto is the seventh and final Canadian stop on the FIFA World Cup trophy tour.
The tour “started in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal, Halifax, yesterday with the Prime Minister in Ottawa, and today concluding with the great city of Toronto,” Montopoli said.
The trophy is stopping in Toronto for two days.
Fans who were able to get free tickets were able to see the trophy up close on Monday and will be able to see it Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Organizers have given out a total of 13,500 free tickets online for people to come down to the square and see the trophy.