TTC sees surge in trips along routes serving Toronto Stadium, Fan Fest during World Cup

Fans watch Canada's World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina at FIFA Fan Fest in Toronto, on Friday, June 12, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker

TTC routes servicing Toronto Stadium and The FIFA Fan Festival during the World Cup saw a more than 40 per cent bump in the number of trips carried out over the same period last year, according to new data released by the transit agency.

In a social media post, the TTC said between June 12 and July 2, 1.1 million trips were completed on buses and streetcars that run on the King, Dufferin, Bathurst, Ossington, and Harbourfront corridors.

“These trips were in addition to our regular daily service and the numerous overlapping sports, music, and cultural events that bring Toronto to life every summer,” the TTC wrote.

Toronto was one of several host cities across North America, hosting six matches at BMO Field during the World Cup.

David Cooper, the founder of Leading Mobility, a transportation planning firm, said the TTC saw “significant ridership gains” during the tournament, including on non-match days.

“We saw some of the best on-time performance on the subway system that we’ve seen in a very long time,” he told Your Morning this week.

He attributed the transit success in the city to the installation of priority lanes and other measures.

“We had a really good set of games and the preparedness was there,” Cooper said.

“This is really an opportunity for the transit agency to say, ‘Hey we delivered for you but in order to do that, we still need continued investment.’”