Toronto will host its sixth and final game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup today with a historic matchup between Portugal and Croatia.
Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, has said this is “definitely” his last World Cup. Croatia’s Luka Modrić, 40, is also reportedly considering retirement.
That means today’s match could be the last time either soccer great touches a ball in their nation’s jersey. Portugal, ranked eighth globally by FIFA, is the favourite to win tonight’s contest. Croatia is ranked 13th.
CTV News Toronto and CP24 will have live updates leading up to and following kickoff at 7 p.m.
Follow along here for live updates:
8:45 a.m. – Toronto cancels watch party at Nathan Phillips Square
The City of Toronto says the planned watch party at Nathan Phillips Square has been cancelled due to the weather forecast.
“We understand that this is disappointing for many, but the decision was made due to the extreme heat forecast & the demand on resources to ensure the safety of all,” the city wrote in a post on X.
At time of writing, the FIFA Fan Festival at Fort York and the Bentway is expected to be open, though it has closed previously during the tournament due to weather.
– Phil Tsekouras, CTV News Toronto Journalist
8:30 a.m. – Toronto could feel like 44 today with humidity
Thursday’s match takes place amid a multi-day heatwave, which could make it feel like 44 today with the humidity.
“It took a while, but the summer sizzle roared in this week. And it’s been intense,” CP24 Meteorologist Bill Coulter said. “Some of the hottest air we’ve seen in years will be challenging records and making life challenging for outdoor workers and those without air-conditioning.”
The temperature is expected to peak at 35 C at around 3 p.m. An orange-level heat warning from Environment Canada remains in effect.
Coulter explained that the “excessive heat and humidity” act as potential fuel for the development of storms and says there is a risk of downpours late this afternoon and evening.
“The models are showing the best risk is over the west GTA and southwestern Ontario. Watch for heavy downpours and frequent lighting for Burlington, Oakville, Hamilton and Niagara.
– Phil Tsekouras, CTV News Toronto Journalist
8:15 a.m. – ‘It’s in our blood’: Toronto’s Portuguese community ready for kickoff
Anabela Taborda, chair of the Little Portugal Business Improvement Area, said she expects the city’s Little Portugal neighbourhood to be packed with fans during tonight’s game.
“I would expect that it will be really hard to drive through this area later on today,” she told CP24 on Thursday morning.
She said the sport is “really important” to people in Portugal.
“It is in our blood. It’s in our veins,” she added.
Toronto’s Little Portugal neighbourhood extends from College Street and Dundas Street West to the north, Dovercourt Road to the east, and the GO train tracks to the south and the west.
– Codi Wilson, CP24.com
8 a.m. – Tickets sold out
Tickets for tonight’s game at Toronto Stadium are sold out on FIFA’s official websites.
Some passes are still available on resale websites, but the prices far exceed their initial face value of between $335 and $875.
On StubHub, the cheapest tickets on offer are going for $2,726. The most expensive seat is selling for $11,963.
On SeatGeek, the cheapest seat available is $2,365. The most expensive is $9,736. At one point, some tickets were selling for as much as $30,000 on SeatGeek.
Earlier this year, Ontario made it illegal to ban the reselling of tickets above face value.
Both SeatGeek and StubHub said in previously released statements that they continue to work with the government to implement the new legislation, despite difficulties in substantiating the original price that a user paid for tickets that they are selling.
Both sites were recently added to Ontario’s “Consumer Beware” website by the government over high ticket resale prices, an addition they said was unfair.
– Phil Tsekouras, CTV News Toronto Journalist