New research highlights potential of FIFA World Cup for Ontario tourism

As Toronto gears up to host FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, new research from Destination Ontario is highlighting the significant opportunities for the tourism industry across the province.

Destination Ontario, in partnership with Context Research Group, has completed a market intelligence study examining travel intentions among potential visitors from key United States and European markets who are interested in, actively planning, or have booked travel to Ontario for the tournament.

The research provides early insights into how international soccer fans may plan their trips, including how likely they are to explore destinations beyond Toronto during their visit.

Early findings suggest strong potential for regional travel throughout the province.

Key highlights from the research include:

• Nine in ten travellers say they are likely to explore other regions or destinations in Ontario outside of Toronto during their FIFA World Cup 2026™ trip. Over half (54%) are most likely to travel outside Toronto after the tournament ends.
• The Niagara Region emerged as the most widely considered destination outside Toronto (54%), followed by Ottawa (29%). Southwest Ontario and Northern Ontario also attract notable interest.
• On average, visitors expect to stay 5.6 nights in Toronto, with European travellers planning longer stays, closer to seven nights.
• Beyond FIFA World Cup 2026™ Toronto activities, visitors show strong interest in food and drink experiences and sightseeing, followed by shopping, nightlife, relaxation, historic sites, and national or provincial parks.

Destination Ontario recently shared the findings with tourism partners through an industry webinar. These insights will help partners across Ontario prepare for the global event by informing marketing strategies, visitor experience planning, and regional collaboration.

Vincenza Ronaldi, President and CEO of Destination Ontario, observed: “Data and research are critical to how we plan and invest in tourism marketing. Having these insights in advance of the FIFA World Cup 2026 allows our tourism partners to better understand visitor intentions and prepare experiences that encourage travellers to explore more of Ontario during their stay.”

Check out the full report at https://doinsights.crg.ca/en-ca .