Destination Ontario recently shared new market intelligence with tourism industry colleagues exploring travel intentions for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Toronto. Conducted in partnership with Context Research Group (CRG), the study looks at how visitors from key U.S. and European markets are planning their trips, including their likelihood to explore beyond Toronto.
These insights are designed to help tourism partners prepare experiences, build itineraries and collaborate across regions ahead of this global event.
We’ve learned:
- Toronto is expected to attract strong international visitor volumes for the tournament; most visitors are approaching the event as a broader travel experience — combining matches, atmosphere, and destination exploration — not just match attendance
- 90% of surveyed visitors intend to explore beyond Toronto during their trip
- Average Toronto stay is 5.6 nights overall; European visitors average approximately 7 nights
- 8 in 10 visitors planning regional travel expect to include at least one overnight stay outside Toronto — average of 2.5 nights outside the city. German and French visitors report the longest regional stays at 3.3 and 2.9 nights respectively
- Exploration spans the full tournament window: 38% plan to explore before the tournament begins, 44% during, and 54% after it ends
- Families travelling with children are among the most likely to explore beyond Toronto and tend to stay longer — average 3.0 nights outside the city
- 100% of visitors are willing to travel at least one hour for a day trip; 93% are willing to travel two hours
You can explore the full report on the Destination Ontario Insights Portal (signup required, free to access) or watch the recent webinar presentation of the findings.
