City officials say FIFA World Cup soccer fans will generate millions in revenue to city coffers.
Some hopes are dashed as promised updates to Centennial Park to make it into a world-class FIFA World Cup practice facility has been slashed.
FIFA has reduced training site requirements at Centennial Park from two training pitches and field houses down to one for the duration of the tournament in Toronto in June 2026, according to City documents.
The reduction results in net savings in capital expenses allocated to training sites, operations including safety and security budgets, according to the City.
Savings from the training site capital budget will be reallocated to other World Cup requirements including BMO Field, or Toronto Stadium, as it will be called during the matches.
Some residents are disappointed that Centennial Park will not receive much-needed upgrades as promised.
FIFA has now downgraded the number of training facilities required in Toronto, freeing up funding for a city struggling to foot the broader bill.
“The City is now going to have to backfill that money and manage the pressure about the planned and ongoing work in the park,” Stephen Holyday, the councillor for Etobicoke Centre, told CTV Toronto.
The Centennial Park FIFA training facility is in the final design and tendering phases, according to the city, with completion slated for March 2026.
FIFA is freeing up funding for a city struggling to foot the broader bill.
It will cost Toronto almost $380 million to host the 2026 World Cup, the largest and most-watched international soccer tournament that is held every four years in host countries.
City officials