What Event Planners Can Learn From the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Toronto

The excitement of the FIFA World Cup™ was electric—and not just on the soccer field. With 48 teams playing 104 matches in 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., it was an epic North America-wide sporting event. And Toronto—which hosted six games throughout the 39-day tournament that ran June 11 to July 19—put its culture, diversity and energy on full display.

Not only did the city leave a lasting legacy with its $146 million transformation of BMO Field—dubbed Toronto Stadium during the FIFA World Cup™—but the hospitality sector went all in with fan zones, watch parties, live performances, interactive activations and themed food and beverage. Here’s what event planners can learn from this moment to inspire their next event.

Create fun spaces for people to gather

FIFA Fan Festival™—transformed Fort York National Historic Site and the Bentway into a hub for live match screenings, cultural performances and concerts, with 30 global food vendors on hand to fuel the fan frenzy (think: Korean-style hot dogs, Portuguese sandwiches and German currywurst).

But it wasn’t the only fan zone in the city. STACKT market, North America’s largest shipping container market, transformed into the Adidas Home of Soccer, with a massive viewing screen, special athlete appearances and an Adidas retail pop-up. And on the city’s scenic lakeshore, the Harbourfront Centre, a popular arts and culture hub, became the GE Appliances Canada Soccer House, complete with match screenings, of course, plus live music, DJs and plenty of food.

Meeting planner takeaway: The best events offer more than what guests came there for. Create communal spaces with music, food and entertainment. Not only is it memorable for guests, but it allows networking to feel more natural and authentic.

Cater your watch party—or event—to your audience

From pubs to restaurant patios, there was no shortage of venues to watch any of the 104 matches. At Real Sports near Union Station, for example, a massive 39-foot screen—and 200 HD TVs—made for easy viewing. Over on King West, Elephant and Castle hosted watch parties for each match, indoors and outdoors on its dog-friendly patio, with extended hours and match-day menus. And Belfast Love Public House offered screenings, giveaways and themed menus.

And watch parties weren’t limited to just the hospitality sector. Almost 40 of Toronto’s Business Improvement Areas—from Liberty Village to the Danforth—joined the fun with family-friendly, soccer-themed programming that took place in parking lots, green spaces and city plazas.

Meeting planner takeaway: Think about what your audience is looking for. Catering to the tech startup crowd? Think: big screens, extended hours and themed programming. Or are you appealing to the food and beverage sector? An elevated menu and fun games will keep everyone talking and networking.

Pick a unique venue

Even venues not traditionally associated with sporting events got in on the soccer action. Evergreen Brick Works, an environmental community centre, for example, offered free outdoor screenings with soccer skills demos and citizen science activities in the green oasis of the Lower Don Valley. And Cineplex partnered with Bell Media’s TSN to broadcast select live matches on the big screen at participating theatres—not just in Toronto, but across Canada. 

Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel threw poolside watch parties on weekends, while Match Day Social Events hosted a boat cruise watch party for Canada’s opening match—with great views of Toronto Stadium. Even the Toronto Zoo took part in the festivities, with soccer-themed activities.

Meeting planner takeaway: Hosting your event inside a unique venue that goes beyond the typical conference centre will have your guests talking about your event long after it’s over.

Team up with hotels 

Several hotels offered much more than a room for the night. Hazelton Hotel’s Game Day Package, for example, prepped fans with game-day essentials such as belt bags, neck fans, sunscreen and branded keepsakes. 1 Hotel Toronto’s package offered guests 15 per cent off stays tied to tournament dates, plus a $50 hotel credit. Over at the Drake Hotel on Queen West, guests during the tournament received custom soccer t-shirts from a local screen-printing studio.

And for groups of up to 10 people, Park Hyatt Toronto rolled out the red carpet with its Presidential Suite Game Day Viewing Experience—a private entertaining space with an in-suite bartender and luxury game-day bites like lobster-stuffed chicken wings and confit duck poutine. 

Meeting planner takeaway: Consider how you can partner with hotels. From conference discounts to more custom experiences like themed suites, swag and food and beverage.

Set up public art and interactive installations

The Bentway Skate Trail, which lies underneath the Gardiner Expressway, transformed into a unique public gathering space during the FIFA World Cup™. The United in Light installation celebrated the many nations that took part in the tournament with an interactive LED-screen flag piece. And the interactive, family-friendly Fans Can Dance installation brought fans together through dances, poses and gestures that imitate their favourite players’ goal celebrations.

Meeting planner takeaway: Public art and interactive installations created buzz—and plenty of social media posts. Don’t overlook activations as a way to turn excitement into free promotion.