The weather might not seem conducive at the current time, and sports fans may have other tournaments, leagues, and playoffs on their minds, but this summer, the biggest sports event of them all will be coming to Toronto. BMO Field was chosen as one of just two Canadian venues for the FIFA World Cup, and football fans are starting to get very excited.
The home of Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts – and arguably the Canada national football team – will temporarily be renamed the Toronto Stadium during the tournament, in accordance with FIFA policy. Local football fans already know what a special atmosphere can be created there, and now people from all over the world will find out too.
There are going to be six World Cup games hosted by BMO Field, with two pre-tournament friendlies for the national side to get everyone in the mood. If you are thinking of betting with Bodog during the World Cup, you will want some insight into the teams playing, so here is what we know about the games taking place in our very own city.
Pre-Tournament Canada Friendlies
Before the World Cup officially kicks off on June 11th in Mexico, with Canada playing its first game a day later, the national team will play a series of friendly games in order to be tournament-ready. Two of these are at BMO Field on March 28th and 31st, against Iceland and Tunisia.
Iceland did not qualify for the finals, but will give Jesse Marsch’s men some experience of playing against European opposition after a schedule over the last few years that has been primarily CONCACAF-based. The second game will be against Tunisia, who will be at World Cup 2026. The Eagles of Carthage are lower-ranked than Canada but will provide the squad an opportunity to fine-tune tactics and explore any weaknesses that need to be ironed out before the big kick off.
World Cup Group Games at BMO Field
The majority of World Cup games taking place in Toronto this summer will be in the opening group phase of the competition. This means that there is an excellent chance for local fans to catch international stars from across the world in action, as well as the city becoming a hub for fans visiting from those countries.
The first game at BMO Field will feature a team that Toronto fans will know very well, however. Canada kicks off its World Cup campaign in our city on June 12th and will face a European team that is yet to be decided by the UEFA playoff system. It will be one of Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Bosnia-Herzegovina, providing the prospect of a real classic to begin Toronto’s World Cup story.
Up next on June 17th is a game between Ghana and Panama. Both nations will benefit from their respective diaspora in the city, and will be eager to start their own campaigns off on a good footing. Next, on June 20th, is possibly the biggest game BMO Field will see (aside from Canada’s, of course), when Germany plays the Ivory Coast. Germany has won the World Cup on four occasions, while the Ivory Coast has consistently been one of the best African teams and is eager to prove that it can mount a challenge this year.
Panama fans may well make Toronto their home away from home during the tournament, as their team plays another of its group games at BMO Field on June 23rd. This time, the opponents will be the 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia. This will be the crucial second game in the group for both teams, and it could well be a make-or-break occasion, depending on how each of them has gotten on in its opening fixture.
The final group game at BMO Field will feature the recently crowned African champions, Senegal. The Lions of Teranga are the number-one ranked team from that continent and will be eager to follow up their AFCON success with a good run in the World Cup. Senegal’s opponents will be another playoff team, this time from one of the inter-confederation ties. Those still in with a chance of qualifying are Iraq, Bolivia, and Suriname.
Those five group games will undoubtedly all be very special occasions. But the final game of World Cup 2026 to be played at BMO Field this summer is guaranteed to bring the drama. On July 2nd, there will be a single-elimination knockout game between the runners-up in Group K and Group L. Panama, Ghana, and Croatia are all in Group L, so they might have built a local following by then, although England is the other team that could theoretically contest this tie. Group K includes Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia, and a playoff team, so there is the chance for a global superstar like Ronaldo to grace the field.
World Cup in Toronto
There has already been a very high demand for tickets for all six of these games, from across the world as well as right here in Toronto. So we expect a sell-out for each and every one. This will be a chance for Toronto to show the world how passionate it is about football, but also put itself firmly on the global map for all kinds of positive reasons.
Toronto deserves to be part of something as high-profile as the FIFA World Cup, and we know the people of this city will help make this the best tournament of all time.
