Item - 2024.EP9.11

The Board of Governors of Exhibition Place:

1. Received the report (April 11, 2024) from the Chief Executive Officer, Exhibition Place for information.

The Executive Director, and the Project Manager, FIFA World Cup Toronto 2026 Staff Secretariat gave a presentation on FIFA World Cup 2026.

In 2018, the 2026 World Cup was awarded to a joint bid by Canada, United States, and Mexico. The World Cup is the largest single sporting event held in the world and rivals the Summer Olympics as the largest overall. It is held every four years over six weeks. In 2026, the World Cup will be expanded to include 48 countries and 104 matches from the current 36 countries, playing 64 games. There will be 6 matches held at Exhibition Place - BMO Field.

The event is the world's most-watched sporting event, with a global viewership of four billion people for the entire competition and upwards of 200 million for each match. Overseen by the International Federation of Football Association (FIFA), the World Cup generates significant economic and cultural benefits for host cities. On June 16, 2022, the City of Toronto was announced as an official Host City.

As directed by City Council in 2022, the FIFA World Cup Toronto 2026 Staff Secretariat was established to support project planning, preparation, and execution of the event.

The Executive Director and Project Manager from the City Secretariat Office will attend the Board meeting on April 25, 2024, to present an update on the planning and progress to the Board Members.