Canada hosted 13 FIFA World Cup matches in Toronto and Vancouver between June 12 and July 7, 2026, resulting in a measurable increase in international travel through the two cities in June. Statistics Canada data shows that non-U.S. resident arrivals at Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport combined rose by around 35,000 passengers, an 8.7% increase over June 2025.
Air arrivals from 15 overseas countries participating in the World Cup matches held in Canada increased by 32.5% in June 2026 compared to the same month in 2025. This represented approximately 29,500 additional travelers, with the biggest gains seen
from Panama and Australia, reflecting targeted international interest linked to the tournament.
The number of people entering Canada by vehicle, including both U.S. and non-U.S. residents, grew by 106,700 or 7.2% in June 2026 year-over-year. However, this increase aligned with pre-existing upward trends in cross-border vehicle traffic preceding the event, indicating a steady rise rather than a World Cup-driven surge.
Consumer spending in Toronto also reflected the event’s impact. Between June 12 and June 26, 2026, domestic spending at restaurants and bars in the city went up by 3% compared with the same period in 2025. Spending by international visitors
paying with foreign-issued credit cards surged by 34%, according to payment processor Moneris.
Economists at the Bank of Montreal estimated the World Cup would contribute a modest 0.1 percentage point increase to Canada’s quarterly annualized GDP. Senior economist Sal Guatieri noted that the early travel data aligns with forecasts of a limited but positive economic effect from hosting the tournament.
The bulk of the event’s impact occurred in June when 10 of the 13 matches took place in Canada. While Toronto was expected to receive as many as 300,000 out-of-town visitors linked to the World Cup, the realized increases in
arrivals and spending were noticeable but moderate.
Statistics Canada’s travel data for July 2026, which includes the remaining three matches, is scheduled for release in mid-August 2026, leaving the full economic and tourism effects of the event incomplete at this time.
