With less than a year to go until the FIFA World Cup kicks off, Premier Doug Ford is signaling a willingness to revisit Toronto’s funding agreement amid growing concerns over a multi-million-dollar shortfall in the city’s event budget.
The City of Toronto had anticipated receiving $97 million in funding from the Ontario government to help cover the costs of hosting six World Cup games in 2026. However, a recent staff report revealed that more than $39 million of that contribution will be absorbed by provincial service expenses, including $14 million earmarked for Ontario Provincial Police security and $15 million for increased hospital and paramedic capacity.
Speaking at an unrelated press conference on Tuesday, Ford acknowledged that security costs are driving up the budget and added that he’s prepared to sit down with Mayor Olivia Chow to find a path forward. “When I made this agreement, I said we weren’t going to do a penny more than $96 or $97 million, somewhere around there,” Ford said. “But when I talked to the mayor and we were looking over the costs, the security is crazy. She needs more cash, which I understand. But we will review it, we will come up with a solution, and it will turn out well.”
Toronto’s total cost for hosting the games is projected at $380 million. The federal government has committed $104 million, while Ontario’s $97 million includes both direct funding and in-kind services. Chow has made it clear that the city wasn’t expecting such a large portion of the province’s contribution to go toward provincial services, warning that without additional cash support, the city may be forced to cut many planned World Cup activities and infrastructure improvements.
“I wish we signed all the cost-sharing before we did the bidding, but we are now here,” Chow said during the joint press appearance. “It is absolutely true. We are negotiating and we are looking at the costs. The security costs, for example, are like 30-plus percent of the provincial contribution. Do we really need that high level of security?”
Last month, city council approved a motion to cap World Cup-related spending at $340 million unless additional savings, intergovernmental funding, or other revenue sources can be secured to cover the full $380 million budget.
As both city and provincial officials try to bridge the gap, the future of Toronto’s World Cup plans may hinge on the outcome of these ongoing negotiations.