New international soccer tournament coming to Toronto ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
Four countries are bringing their national soccer teams to Toronto this weekend for the final major tournament the city will host before it takes on several World Cup games next year.
The Canadian Shield Tournament kicks off at BMO Field on Saturday and features four national men's soccer teams — Canada, Ukraine, New Zealand and Ivory Coast.
The tournament is meant to prepare the teams for next year's FIFA World Cup, according to Canada Soccer.
Canada's head coach Jesse Marsch said his team is excited for the challenge that comes with taking on these strong opponents.
"It's a chance for all of us to competitively make sure that our teams are making steps forward and it will be, I think, a great experience for the fans [in] anticipation of what the World Cup will be next summer," Marsch said at a news conference on Friday.
Canada's team is also set to receive a new addition, as Toronto FC's captain Jonathan Osorio will be joining their roster, according to a Canada Soccer news release Thursday.
The inaugural match takes place Saturday at 3:30 p.m., with Canada facing off against Ukraine. The second match of the day will be played between New Zealand and Ivory Coast.
The rest of the matches will take place on Tuesday.
"We are fixed now on the very difficult match we have tomorrow, but looking ahead to Tuesday, we know that we will need to use a real breadth of our squad for both matches because both will be physically demanding and also tactically demanding," Marsch said.
The tournament is a chance for soccer fans to watch some of the best players from around the world battle it out, but it's also an opportunity for the city to show its ability to run a major tournament — and manage any potential challenges that may come with it — before hosting six World Cup games next year.
Fans attending this weekend's matches will get an early look at the almost $150-million upgrade BMO Field is set to receive ahead of the World Cup.
Upgrades are already underway, and will ultimately include new video boards, luxury boxes and a rooftop patio. Temporary seating is also being added, increasing the stadium's capacity from close to 30,000 to 45,000, and bringing it up to FIFA World Cup standards.
The current phase of renovations ends in August, with the second phase beginning in December and ending ahead of the first World Cup match next June.
The city, which owns the field, and Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, which manages it, are spending $123 million and $23 million respectively on the renovations.
In 2022, FIFA awarded Toronto the right to host five first round games plus one playoff round match for the 2026 tournament.
However, the city originally anticipated it would host just five World Cup matches, at an estimated cost of $300 million. The cost has since climbed to $380 million, about $200 million of which is being provided by the federal and provincial governments.
Now the city is clamping down on FIFA spending unless it can find savings on its hosting duties or secure more money from other levels of government.
WATCH | City, province in funding dispute as Toronto preps for 2026 World Cup:
Last month, city councillors said they will hold off on major procurements or any large contracts that would push the cost over $340 million.
Mayor Olivia Chow has said that's meant to address a $40-million shortfall created because a substantial amount of funding pledged by the province will be used up for various services, not all of which the city needs.
The provincial government has said its total investment of $97 million remains unchanged, but Premier Doug Ford said Friday that the province will sit down with the city to discuss what can be done.
"I looked at the numbers just briefly, but the security's pretty heavy there. The numbers I saw — like, it's massive. That's taking a big chunk out of it. So let's take a look at it," he said at a news conference on Friday.
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