Seven-in-10 say tickets too expensive for them to attend; half would re-sell tickets it they were given two
November 17, 2025 – As Canada’s men’s national team prepares for the World Cup with a warm-up match against Venezuela on Tuesday, the two host cities in the country – Toronto and Vancouver – are loosening the purse strings to host an event that has bounced away from initial cost estimates.
New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds most Canadians (71%) believe hosting the World Cup is it only worth it to the cities if revenues meet (32%) or exceed (39%) costs.
One-in-five (20%) say it’s not worth hosting the event regardless, while the smallest group of one-in-ten (9%) argue it’s a valuable event for the cities to host even if costs are far greater than revenues.
Estimates from the summer place the cost at hosting seven games in Vancouver at $624 million to the province and municipal governments, with another $116 million committed by the federal government. In Toronto, it’s expected to cost $380 million, split between the three tiers of governments.
Those who describe themselves as interested in following the World Cup next summer are much more likely (66%) than those who are not (32%) to believe hosting the event is a “worthwhile investment” for Canada.
As tickets are slowly released in the lead up to the event, an overwhelming majority (71%) – including 84 per cent who say they are “very interested” to watch the tournament unfold in 2026 – believe the ticket prices are too expensive for them to attend. Half (52%) say if they were given two tickets to the World Cup they would try to sell them to get cash.
INDEX
-
Two-in-five say they plan to follow 2026 World Cup
-
Is worth it for host cities?
-
Most believe tickets ‘too expensive’
-
Compared to Olympics, World Cup less likely seen as ‘worthwhile’ for hosts
Two-in-five say they plan to follow 2026 World Cup
With Canada’s Men’s National Soccer Team’s path to the 2026 World Cup secured, they are using the coming months to solidify their squad and its tactics with friendly matches, including tomorrow’s game against Venezuela in Florida. The rest of the 48-team field which will contest the trophy in host countries Canada, Mexico and the U.S., is slowly coming into view as qualification tournaments wrap up over the next six weeks.
The excitement is certainly building for countries such as Norway, qualifying for their first World Cup since 1998, and England, who hope to finally bring the trophy “home” after falling short in the nearly 60 years since they last won.
In Canada, interest is more muted. Two-in-five (40%) describe themselves as very interested (10%) or interested (30%), but there are more (56%) say they aren’t planning on paying close attention (21%) or are not interested at all (35%).
In Canada’s two host cities – Vancouver and Toronto – interest is higher than elsewhere in the country. At least half in Canada’s two largest cities say they plan on following the tournament:
Compared to the fan base for the CFL (16% follow closely, 25% tune in for big games), the NFL (17%, 26%), and the MLB (22%, 32%) in Canada, there are fewer fans of international soccer, including major tournaments and the Premier League. One-in-ten (9%) describe themselves as close watchers of soccer outside of this continent, while one-quarter (23%) will tune in to a big game.
Related:
- Attention on baseball explodes as Blue Jays seek World Series berth, but are they really “Canada’s team”?
- As CFL (literally) moves the goalposts, fans call for league to embrace its uniqueness rather than align more with NFL
More than two-thirds (68%) say they don’t follow international soccer at all:
Is worth it for host cities?
Bringing the World Cup to Canada has required a significant financial commitment from the federal government and the provinces and cities where the games will be played. And the final tallying of costs will be much higher than initially anticipated. In 2023, when it was expected Vancouver would host five games, the bill was believed to be $230 million. Now it’s expected to cost $624 million, although Vancouver will now get seven games during the tournament.
Toronto, too, was only expected to host five matches. In 2022, the cost was pegged at $300 million for those five games. Since then, the estimate has grown to $380 million.
However, both cities anticipate a major economic bump from hosting the games. Deloitte Canada estimated that the World Cup could generate $940 million for the GTA’s economy. The estimation of the World Cup’s impact to Vancouver’s economy ranges from $1 billion, from a B.C. government report, to $1.9 billion, from FIFA.
With rising estimated costs, Canadians are skeptical hosting the World Cup is worth it for the cities involved. A plurality of two-in-five (39%) believe hosting the World Cup is only worth it if Toronto and Vancouver make money. The second largest group of one-third (32%) say the event will be worth it, but only if the two cities break even. One-in-ten (9%) believe that the event is valuable enough that even if the costs far outweigh revenues, the World Cup will be worth it.
The majority view in Toronto (69%) and Vancouver (64%) is that the World Cup will be “worth it” if the cities at least break even or make a profit:
Most believe tickets ‘too expensive’
For fans that want to attend World Cup games, the financial calculation is significant. To even have the opportunity to purchase tickets, fans need to be chosen from a lottery and assigned a slot to make their purchase. The opportunity is not a cheap one. For lower-category, early round games, a person could get in the door for around $100. The resale market, however, is robust, with tickets already exceeding $5,000 for Canada’s June 18 game in Vancouver.
Most Canadians tend to agree that tickets are too expensive for them to attend, with at least three-quarters saying this in Metro Vancouver and the GTA:
The resale market is also a temptation. Much like it was with Taylor Swift’s Era tour, or Blue Jays World Series tickets, the calculation of “go or sell” is often a difficult one. Half of Canadians (52%) say they would probably sell tickets if they were given two:
Compared to Olympics, World Cup less likely seen as ‘worthwhile’ for hosts
Canada has recent and past experiences hosting major sporting events. There have been two Winter Olympics – Vancouver 2010 and Calgary 1988 – and one Summer Olympics – Montreal 1976. There is much doubt, however, that these major events are smart investments for the countries that host them.
More than half (56%) believe hosting the Winter Olympics is a “worthwhile investment” for the host country. Canadians are split between believing hosting the Summer Olympics is “worthwhile” (52%) or not (48%). The most doubt is reserved for the World Cup, which is described as “not worthwhile” by more than half (54%) of Canadians.
For provinces that have hosted the Winter Olympics, there is more belief that event can be a positive investment. Quebecers are evenly split on Summer Olympics, after the 1976 games left Montreal with $1.6 billion in debt.
Survey Methodology
The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from Oct. 7-11, 2025, among a randomized sample of 2,031 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to region, gender, age, household income, and education, based on the Canadian census. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by ARI.
For detailed results by age, gender, region, education, and other demographics, click here.
For detailed results by interest in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, click here.
For PDF of full release, click here.
For full questionnaire, click here.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Shachi Kurl, President: 604.908.1693 shachi.kurl@angusreid.org @shachikurl
Dave Korzinski, Research Director: 250.899.0821 dave.korzinski@angusreid.org
Jon Roe, Research Associate: 825.437.1147 jon.roe@angusreid.org