Toronto and Vancouver Resell FIFA Ticket Packages at Profit to Offset World Cup Hosting Costs

The city of Toronto is reselling its share of FIFA World Cup ticket packages purchased last year. The move is intended to generate revenue and avoid spending property tax dollars on the tournament, which begins Friday. Shirven Rezvany, a spokesperson for Mayor Olivia Chow’s office, stated on Monday that the sales represent one of several avenues the city is pursuing to limit property tax expenditures.

He added that FIFA provided all host cities the opportunity to buy portions of ticket packages to offset costs, and that many or all of them had done so. FIFA controls tickets to the games and allows host cities to purchase packages before they reach private sellers.

Toronto’s FIFA World Cup subcommittee recommended buying nearly $11 million worth of match tickets last March, describing the purchase as a key revenue generation strategy in a decision letter.

The packages include tickets to matches at Toronto Stadium along with access to hospitality suites and other amenities. Sharon Bollenbach, executive director of Toronto’s FIFA World Cup 26 Secretariat, previously told CBC News that the packages target companies seeking experiences for employees or clients.

A 2025 report from Toronto’s auditor general recorded initial cost projections of $30-45 million.

Those figures rose above $280 million in 2022 and now stand at $380 million. City councillor and mayoral candidate Brad Bradford posted a video on X claiming that Chow was scalping tickets and that Toronto was the only city reselling its FIFA packages for profit. Isha Chaudhuri, his spokesperson, said the practice is wrong anywhere.

The City of Vancouver confirmed it is also selling its portion of purchased tickets at a profit. Vancouver’s World Cup host committee stated that the great majority of its tickets are being sold through the FWC26 Sponsorship Program to raise net revenues that offset hosting costs.